The Girls Next Door
by Missy Dawn 94
Summary: AU no ZA. Daryl and Merle Dixon buy a duplex and decide to live in one part of it and rent the other part out. Little does Daryl know that he is in for a life changing experience when he agrees to let his boss' niece, Carol, rent out the other half.
1. Chapter 1

**ow that I said I wouldn't start another story until I finished the one I was working on. But this idea has been clawing at my mind repeatedly the last few days. Compared to the normal length of my stories, this won't be all that long. Or, probably, most likely, won't be. If you know my other stories, you can probably already guess this is going to be AU. Though, one day I do want to try my hand at some ZA stuff. I'm not even sure if this idea will catch and hold interest. But I kinda had to throw it out there since it wouldn't get out of my head. So, enough rambling. Here it is. If it's your cup of tea, feel free to drink, so to speak. =]**

Twenty-nine year old Daryl Dixon was putting down the last piece of laminate wood flooring in his bedroom of the newly purchased house he was living in with his older brother, Merle.

They closed on the house, which was an older brick home, a few weeks ago. The house had belonged to their boss, Hershel Greene and his wife, who owned the local Welding and Industrial Supply company that the brother's had been working at for the last two years.

The house originally belonged to his second wife, Annette, where she lived with her son, Shawn, prior to marrying Hershel about fifteen years before. Once they were married, she and Shawn moved in with Hershel in the farm house that had belonged to his family for more than 150 years. The couple decided to keep her house and rent it out to have a second income.

The house had already been divided into a duplex, or apartment of sorts, before he and Annette had married to give her a second source of income. She'd been a single mom and hadn't needed all of the space that the house had with just her and Shawn living in it. So, they were able to earn double the money in rent off of it by renting out two spaces. Hershel had two daughters of his own from his previous wife, who passed away from cancer, when he married Annette. With three kids between them they figured they could use all of the extra money that they could get.

But the past year or so they'd had a string of bad luck with renters on either side of the house. Whether it was people destroying their property or people refusing to pay their monthly rent, it seemed like they couldn't catch a break. The couple were getting older and decided that they just didn't want to deal with the hassle of it all anymore. Their two oldest children, Maggie and Shawn, were in college now and they knew that they could use the money from selling the house to help finish getting both kids through school. It would also help put a cushion in their retirement fund.

Hershel mentioned something about selling the place one day at work, and Merle seemed to latch onto the idea of buying the place like a leech to its host. He had a plan all mapped out in his head.

"It'll be perfect, little brother." He'd told Daryl that day. "We can live on one side of the house and we can rent out the other side. That way, we can cover almost the whole payment with what we get in rent. Hell, we can probably make double the payment and get the place paid off in no time. Then when it's all said and done you can have one half and I can have the other."

Daryl really couldn't argue with Merle's logic on the matter. It made a lot of sense. In time, each would have their own space, while still being able to live close together. And he didn't mind sharing a place with his brother for now. Hell, he'd been living with him ever since he was seventeen anyway. What could it hurt to stay with him a few more years.

Living in an actual house sounded more appealing than the small apartment they'd been renting the last two years. The place was cramped and something was almost always fucking up. Their landlord took forever to get repairs done and half the time they'd had to fix the shit themselves. Besides, their house payment hadn't actually ended up being all that much more than what they'd been paying in rent. And Daryl figured it made a hell of a lot more sense to shell out that money each month for something that would be theirs. Something that no one could take from them.

He'd jumped on board with Merle almost immediately and they'd applied for a loan to co-buy the place. They were approved pretty quickly and it barely took a month to close on the house. The last few weeks they'd been doing some minor work to the house. They removed all of the carpet and tile on the side of the house they'd be living in and replaced it with laminate wood floors. The carpet in the bedrooms and living room had been a hideous brown color and the tile in the kitchen and dining room had been a pale yellow with orange and brown flowers.

They had also chosen to paint the walls in all of the rooms and to replace the stove and refrigerator, which matched the pale yellow color of the floor. In time, they were gonna replace the cabinets and redo the bathroom's, but that could wait for now. They weren't so bad.

Daryl was thankful for the fact that he and has brother had done all sorts of odd jobs before landing this gig with Hershel. It would have cost a fucking fortune to pay someone to do all the shit they'd done themselves.

Before they started working with Hershel they'd been carpenters, roofers, mechanics, painters, plumbers, landscapers, you name it and they'd done it. Most jobs had barely lasted six months. Merle usually got bored and wanted to book up after that. Either that, or he'd gotten into it with their boss and gotten them both fired. His brother was hot headed and didn't seem to know when to keep his mouth shut.

But it had been different at Hershel's welding place, even from the beginning. He and Daryl both seemed to click with the man from the get go. He was a reasonable man, he didn't bitch and raise hell for no reason. As long as the job was being done, Hershel was happy.

The town seemed to be a good fit for them as well. They settled in rather easily. Merle made some drinking and gambling buddies, but they weren't the usual kind Merle seemed to fall in with. These guys were married men. Settled with families. Axel and Oscar, they liked to drink and shoot the bull, but they weren't the kinda guys that were gonna lead Merle down the wrong road like so many of the loser friends he'd seen his older brother encounter over the years.

And Daryl, well he'd managed to make a few friends as well.

There was Glenn. He was their pizza delivery guy and he'd almost forcibly be-friended Daryl. He'd talk his fucking head off every time Daryl ordered in, which was often. But he quickly found out he liked the kid. Well, he wasn't really a kid, Daryl supposed, he lived on his own and he was eighteen when he'd met him two years ago, but he was nine years younger than Daryl, so that made him a kid to him.

Then there was Rick Grimes, who'd also sort of forced his way into friendship with Daryl. He'd been at the bar with Merle one night, and Merle had found a piece of tail and ditched him shortly after their arrival. Daryl had decided to order one more beer and call it a night rather than stay there alone, but Rick Grimes had taken a seat beside him. He seemed to already be a little drunk when he got there and started blabbing to Daryl about some fight he had with his girlfriend. Rick had ordered them a pitcher a beer, which ended up convincing Daryl to stay. Because after all, who was he to turn down free beer? Anyway, they'd ended up getting a little drunk, shot some pool, then Rick said they should do the same thing next Friday, and in his drunken state, Daryl had thought that was a great idea.

In retrospect, he probably wouldn't have followed through with that plan, but the girl Merle took home from the bar that night ended up being the flavor of the week for him. He spent the next two weeks fucking her and then kicked her to the curb. And Daryl didn't have anything to do with Merle otherwise occupied, so he'd ended up going. Turns out, hanging out with Rick wasn't so bad and they ended up becoming pretty good buddies.

Daryl just wasn't a people person. He was a pretty introverted guy. He was quiet and he liked to keep to himself for the most part. He much rather be hunting or fishing than hanging out with a large crowd. He liked hanging out with Rick and Glenn, but he was more than happy spending an evening to himself, too. He and his brother were total opposites that way. Merle loved being the center of attention. He'd rather be in the bar or at a party surrounded by people any day, though he did enjoy hunting and fishing.

It was good that one of them had an extravagant personality, Daryl supposed, since they'd have to be dealing with a renter now that they had that empty apartment on the other side of the house to rent out. He was more than happy to leave that part to Merle. He didn't feel like having to hassle somebody for money or make sure they paid on time. Hell, he didn't much care to talk to whoever ended up on the other end of the house. He wasn't looking to become buddies with whoever moved in. He just wanted somebody who wouldn't make too much noise and paid their bills on time.

At first, he'd been a little weary about renting the space out. He'd heard about some of the horrible renters Hershel had. His brother had a temper, hell, when it came down to it, Daryl did, too. If some stupid son of bitch tried to pull half the shit they'd head Hershel talk about, one of them would probably end up in jail for beating their ass. It was a good thing Rick Grimes was a cop.

Daryl's apprehension faded a little, though, when Hershel said he had someone in mind to rent the place. His niece was a school teacher and she'd lived up near Atlanta the past ten years. She'd recently gotten a job down here to be closer to family and needed a place to live. Hershel asked both of them if they'd consider letting her rent the place out.

He didn't know too much about the woman, but if she was Hershel's niece, he was sure she wouldn't give them too much of a problem. Hershel was a real respected member of the community, a good father, a good husband. All three of his kids seemed to be following in his footsteps. Daryl doubted his niece would be much different. Besides, she was a fucking school teacher for crying out loud. How wild could she be?

They'd agreed to meet her and show her the place, and more or less, they'd pretty much already agreed to let her have it if she wanted it. After all, how do you tell your boss his niece can't move into the empty place you have that he let you buy at a very, very reasonable price?

The only real reservation Daryl had with her renting the place was actually Merle.

His brother was a fucking horn0dog. He wanted to stick his dick in anything that moved.

Merle wasn't a relationship kinda guy. He was a hit until he got bored and quit kinda guy. And Daryl didn't think Hershel would take to kindly to Merle boning his niece and throwing her to the side. Not if he was half as protective of her as he was of those girls of his.

That's the last damn thing they needed was to lose their jobs because Merle couldn't keep it in his pants and then not be able to pay for the damn house.

He hoped like hell Merle had enough sense to stay away from this woman.

()()()

Daryl had laid down on the couch after he finished the floor. He'd only meant to catch a few minutes of the race that was on TV and then get up and tinker with his bike some. But he must have fallen asleep, because the next thing he knew he was being startled awake by a repetitive banging noise.

He quickly determined that the noise was coming from their front door, which was only a few feet away from him. He grabbed the remote and hit view on the TV to see what time it was. He was surprised to see it was well after five. Damn, he'd slept a lot longer than he meant to.

That meant that the person knocking on the door was most likely Hershel's niece. She was supposed to be by about 5 that evening.

"Merle! Hey, Merle!" Daryl called out, since he was supposed to be the one handling all of the rental business. But he got no answer. He stood up with the plan to go check Merle's room and see if maybe he'd fallen asleep in his own room, but a note sitting on the floor caught his eye. It was in Merle's hand writing.

He scanned over the note quickly. "Axel called me. He got stuck on a dirt road. I went to pull him out. We're probably gonna have a few drinks after. Show that girl the house for me. Don't fuck it up, asshole. Oh, and tell me if she's hot. Tittie size. What the ass looks like. You know the drill." Daryl groaned, crinkled up the piece of paper and tossed it on the floor. He should have known he'd get stuck handling this shit.

"Give me just a minute." He called out as the knocks grew more frequent and louder. He made the short walk to the front door and slowly opened it. "Hey, I'm Daryl. You must be…" His words fell short as he fully took the woman standing before him in. His mouth gaped slightly and what he meant to say was jumbled and mixed itself up with the first thought that crossed his mind, which ended up spilling out of his mouth. "You're uh…..you're….uh…" He motioned his hand up and down.

The corner of her lip turned up as she studied the man in front of her and the strange look he was giving her. "With child? Knocked up? Have a bun in the oven? That's very observant of you there, Daryl. It was Daryl, right?" A full on smile lined her face as the man's eyes flicked downwards and his face flushed cherry red. She almost felt bad for him, but his comment about her protruding belly had taken her off guard and almost slightly offended her.

"Sorry." He muttered, not bothering to look up at her. "I uh…I was expecting someone to come look at the apartment I got for rent." He motioned to her belly. "Not this…..Let me call Merle. I reckon you wanna talk to him about all that."

She arched a brow at him and laughed so hard she snorted. "I don't think that's necessary. He might freak even more than it seems you did if you do that." He gave her a confused look and she extended her hand once she realized he still didn't comprehend who she was. "I'm Carol, Hershel's niece. _Pregnant niece_." She emphasized with a grin. "I'm here to look at the apartment you have for rent."

 **This might be one of those things that ends up being better in theory. I guess we'll see. I wanna go ahead and say this: There are going to be some time jumps in this story. Some might be great, others not so much. But this first chapter is going to focus on how these two met and the following chapters will go into establishing how they get to know one another and what all happens with that. At some point, we are diving into the future and going from there. I hope some people stick around to see what happens with this.**


	2. Chapter 2

The moment he'd seen her pregnant belly sticking out his brain had gone into panic mode. The first thing he did was wrack his brain to eliminate himself as a possible suspect as the father. His sexual escapades were more or less limited to drunken one night stands whenever he felt the itch bad enough. For the most part, he avoided women, like he did with most people in general.

But it didn't take too much effort for him to figure out that the baby in her belly didn't belong to him. Something told him he'd recognize this woman for sure if she had. She had these pretty, big blue eyes. They seemed so welcoming and warm. He'd remember them for sure if he'd ever met her before.

So, that left him with assuming that she'd been here for Merle. Which wasn't a stretch to say the least. He got around ten times more often than Daryl did, and he wasn't half as careful as Daryl made sure to be whenever he did decide to go out and get a piece. Some random woman showing up at their door claiming to be carrying Merle's child actually seemed overdue in a way.

The last damn thing Merle Dixon needed was a child to take care of. Hell, neither brother did. In many ways, both of them were still kids themselves. They didn't know a damn thing about raising a child and they hadn't exactly had a shining example to prepare them for the role either.

He couldn't help the immense sense of relief he felt when she'd introduced herself as Hershel's niece. Though, he hadn't been expecting her to be pregnant at all. Hershel hadn't ever mentioned anything about that to him. Neither had Glenn, who happened to be dating Hershel's daughter, which would make her Carol's cousin. Right now he sure wished someone would have told him so he hadn't of made an ass of himself.

He reached out and met her hand with his, giving it a gentle shake, as if he thought he might break her in her pregnant a state. "Nice to meet you." He told her. "I'm Daryl."

She smirked mischievously at him. Blue eyes beaming up at him brightly.

His face reddened again, realizing he'd already told her his name. He rubbed the back of his neck nervously and chewed at his bottom lip. Things weren't getting any less awkward and he wished like hell Merle was here so he could hand her off to him. He motioned for her to step inside. "Why don't you, ah, come on in. I gotta grab the key to show you the other side of the house and we can just walk through this way.

Carol stepped inside and followed the awkward man's steps through his home. She noticed the nice new floors that looked as if they'd just been put in. She saw what looked like fresh paint on the walls. The house looked a hell of a lot nicer than it had the last time she'd been in it a few years ago when she'd been visiting her uncle Hershel.

Her eyes landed on scattered boxes strewn here and there in the kitchen and dining room. Remnants of things she was sure they still hadn't unpacked. Though, the house seemed rather neat overall. Much neater than she would have guessed it to be if she was going from the man's outward appearance.

He had shaggy, blondish/brown hair that hung just below his eyes, his face was covered in at least two days-worth of stubble that hadn't been shaved, he was wearing a brown t-shirt that had the sleeves cut off at some point, and a pair of worn jeans with holes scattered throughout them. His jeans were also frayed and covered in what looked to be oil stains. He definitely wasn't the most clean cut man she'd ever met in her life.

Yet, she had to admit, he was ruggedly handsome, even in his unkempt state. His arms were toned and well-defined, he had a pair of the most piercing blue eyes she thought she'd ever seen in her life, broad shoulders, and handsome face she was sure would look ever better if he'd let himself crack a smile.

As she watched him lead her through the house she let her eyes drift to his ass. Good Lord. This man was gorgeous. She licked her lips and when he turned around to make sure she was still following him she almost jumped out of her skin thinking she'd been caught.

He arched a brow at her when he noticed her jump. "You alright?"

She nodded fervently and she felt her cheeks tinge pink. "Fine. Just fine." She stammered. "I was just admiring…" They were in the kitchen now and she scanned the room to try and find something to compliment. "Your side of the home. It's very, very lovely."

He didn't seem to notice how flustered she'd become and he just shrugged at her. "Thanks." He muttered. "Been doing a lot of work the last few weeks. Just did the finishing touches today."

She groaned inwardly. She couldn't believe she almost got caught checking this man out. She couldn't believe she was checking him out! Okay, that was a lie. She could believe that. Her hormones had been crazy lately and she was almost always in the mood. Problem was, she was single and she hadn't had sex since shortly after she found out she was pregnant almost four months ago. It had been a long, long four months.

Daryl stopped at the end of the kitchen in front of a white door. He reached beside the door and grabbed a pair of keys where they hung on the wall. He used them to unlock the door in front of him and ushered her through. "This hallway connects our parts of the house. I got a key that unlocks the door to my side and you'll have on that unlocks the door to your side. I can't open yours up without the key and you can't open mine without my key." He jingled the keys in hand for effect.

He flicked a light on and in the middle of the walkway she noticed a washer and dryer. "Mine, yours, or ours?" She asked, nodding to them.

"Yours." He told her. "Me and Merle got a utility room on our side of the house. It's a little bit bigger than your side and there wasn't a place for them in there." He used another key on the key ring he had and unlocked the door at the end of the hall that led into the other side of the house. He felt his face flush again when he got a good look inside. They hadn't done any remodeling to this side of the house and he felt embarrassed that she'd seen how much nicer their side looked compared to this. He probably should have walked her through the backdoor instead.

He stepped out of her way when she walked into the side of the house that would be hers. She was in what she assumed would serve as her living room. It was small, but she could fit a couch and a TV in there. There were two bedrooms off of the living room and one bathroom from what she could see. It had been a long time since she'd been in this place, but it looked almost exactly like she remembered it did.

Daryl noticed her taking in her surroundings and felt the need to apologize. "We ain't exactly got around to fixing this part up yet." He looked down at the brown carpet and grimaced. He'd wanted to fix this part up to before they rented it out, but Merle hadn't wanted to put any money into it yet. He said whoever ended up living there could take it as it was. He said he wasn't gonna put money into anything someone might fuck up.

Carol sensed he seemed to be a little embarrassed about the differences in the sides of the house. It didn't much bother her, though. Right now she just needed a place to live. One that was clean, affordable, and would provide a safe place for her unborn child once it got here. "Come on, the brown carpet's kinda fashionable. Don't you think?"

He glanced down at the carpet, looked up at her and studied her face, trying to read if she was being genuine or not, then cracked a half smile when he realized she was trying to lighten the mood.

And there it was. A hint of a smile on his face. And it looked just as good as she thought it would on him. Fuck. She needed to get laid. This wasn't even right. He was going to be her landlord. And men should be the last thing on her mind right now. Sex was what got her into her current situation.

"You wanna check out the bedrooms?"

"Wh…what?" She felt her face flush as she looked at him dumbfounded.

"The bedrooms." He motioned to the two doors located directly in front of the living room. Two of them. One for you…and uh…..you know…one for." He pointed to her belly.

She smirked at him again. She didn't know why, but for some reason her being pregnant really seemed to spook him. "The baby." She finished for him.

He nodded.

()()()

He showed her both of the bedrooms, the bathroom, then the kitchen. It doubled as a dining room/kitchen area, unlike the side of the house he and his brother lived on which had an individual kitchen and dining room. But there was enough room in there she could fit a small table and still have kitchen space.

There was a door in the kitchen, which he told her would be the primary door for her getting in and out of the house. It led out onto a deck and she would have to climb up and down steps to get in and out of her side of the house.

"Do you need me to install a ramp or something?" He asked her once they were on the deck.

She looked at him like he had two heads. "Why would I need a ramp?"

He looked down at her belly and brought his thumb up to the side of his mouth.

She sighed heavily. "I'm pregnant, Daryl. Not handicapped. Pregnant. I can manage the stairs just fine."

"Sorry." He mumbled, feeling like he'd made an ass of himself, once again. He felt so nervous around her. She flustered him completely. He felt like his brain lost its ability to process things or speak like a normal person around her.

And he didn't know much about pregnant women. Hell, the only one he'd ever been around was Rick's girlfriend, Lori. She was currently five months pregnant with a little boy. She seemed to be about the size Carol was now. He wondered how far along she was. "I didn't know you were pregnant." He blurted out, running a hand through his hair. "No one told me, so I wasn't expecting it when you came to the door. I thought you were…"

"Some girl your brother knocked up." She finished for him.

"Yeah…."

"He must get around a lot if you're expecting some random girl to show up at your door one day carrying his child."

"Merle's kinda…" He searched for an appropriate word. "Promiscuous?"

"I would've gone with a dirty whore, but I suppose yours is more politically correct." She teased. "But I guess I'm one to talk." She rubbed a hand over her belly.

He shook his head rapidly. "I wasn't trying to say….I don't think you're a..."

She laughed and absentmindedly put a hand out on his chest. He flinched and she snatched her hand away quickly. "Sorry." She mumbled. "I didn't think you thought that. I was just making light of my situation here. I shouldn't have touched you like that. I'm sorry. Your girlfriend probably wouldn't like that."

He snorted. "She'd have to exist to have a problem with it."

She hummed at that, but didn't say anything.

He cleared his throat. "Let me show you around the yard."

()()()

He walked her around the spacious backyard and then out towards the front. Their house was sitting on two acres of land. They had neighbors, but there was plenty of space separating them from the other houses. Carol thought about how there would be plenty of room for her child to play here. How she felt strangely safe that this strange man was going to be on the other end of the house in case she ever ended up in any trouble. Because despite his awkward nature, he seemed to by the type that knew how to take care of things and handle himself. Between her assessment of him and what praises Hershel had sung about him and his brother, she felt comfortable living on the other side of the house she'd be sharing with two strange men.

Daryl was walking beside her as they made their way back towards the house, hands shoved deep into his pockets. She glanced over at him, a decisive look on her face. "I'd really like to live her if you and your brother will have me."

He glanced up at her and nodded. Knowing her decision on the place was more or less going to determine if she lived here or not and had been the deciding factor from the beginning. "Alright then. It's yours. Hershel told you what rent was, didn't he?"

"He did. I do have one request as far as that's concerned."

"Shoot."

"As a teacher, I only get paid once a month at the end of the month. I'd prefer rent to be due around then if that's alright with the two of you."

Merle wasn't here for him to consult with, but he didn't find it to be an unreasonable request. "Sure thing."

"Thank you, Daryl." She told him softly. "Sometimes money just doesn't seem to last as long when you're only getting a check once a month. I just don't want to not have enough when it comes due for some reason."

"Ain't no problem." He scratched his head as they came to a stop in front of where she'd parked. "Listen, I do gotta talk to Merle about something. We thought it was just gonna be you living here when we set the rent. But I don't know if he's gonna wanna charge more since you're hus.." He paused and glanced down at her ring finger on her left hand. He didn't wanna make an ass out of himself by assuming shit again. There was no ring there and he quickly corrected himself. "Errr…your boyfriend."

This time she bit her bottom lip and shook her head slowly. Just me." She got out, though her voice came out a bit strained and emotional. "Well..." she let out a nervous laugh and rubbed her belly protectively "Us. I guess. Just me and Sophia. Just us girls."

He watched as a certain sadness seemed to wash over her and overtake her completely when he'd brought that up. And for some reason he didn't even understand, seeing her upset pricked at his heart. He rubbed his thumb and index finger together as he shifted his left foot back and forth in the grass. "You're having a little girl?" He softly said, more as a statement than a question.

She nodded. "I'm six months. Or will be this Friday."

He sucked in a deep breath, knowing Merle might get pissed, but not really caring. He should have been here to do this shit like he said he was gonna be "Don't even worry about what I said about the rent. What Hershel told you, that stands. It ain't gonna be no more than what you were told. Not even because you're….you know?" He motioned to her belly. He couldn't fathom raising the rent just because she was gonna have a kid living there, too. Especially not since she was gonna be a single mom.

She almost laughed out loud this time because she was starting to think he was incapable of saying the word pregnant. She folded her arms over her chest and gave him an amused look. "Are you scared of pregnant women or something?"

"No…my friend Rick's girlfriend is having a baby. She's bout as far along as you are. I just.." He struggled to find the words and sighed. "Fuck, I ain't very good with new people, I reckon. Merle's supposed to be handling this renting shit and he dipped out."

She felt the tension brought on by the previous question wash away from her at his admission. It was the most comfortable he'd sounded the entire time she'd been around him. "Well, I did kinda catch you off guard there. Being knocked up and all. Tell you what? Let's start over with each other." She extended her hand to him again. "I'm Carol, Hershel's pregnant niece, and I'm interested in renting your apartment."

He shook his head, but the corner of his lip turned up and he clasped his hand in hers, griping it more firmly this time. "Daryl. Nice to meet you."

 **Glad people seem to be interested in this! Next chapter we are going to get to know Carol and some of her background. Thanks for reading, reviewing, following, ect!**


	3. Chapter 3

Carol closed the door to her uncle Hershel's house softly as she made her way back from checking out the apartment at the Dixon brother's home.

After she and Daryl had "started over" and reintroduced themselves, they'd shared a small laugh over the somewhat silly gesture and a few brief minutes of small talk before she left. He hadn't been quite as bumbling as he was before, but there was still a hint of shyness to the man. An undertone of awkwardness lying just below the surface.

She actually thought she was kind of going to enjoy living next to him. It was kinda fun to watch him get all red faced and start fumbling with his words.

She made her way into the kitchen and saw her uncle Hershel sitting at the table reading the paper, her aunt Annette busy searching the refrigerator for something. "I'm back." She announced, pulling out a seat for herself beside Hershel.

Annette walked over and placed a glass of iced tea down in front of her niece. "Figure you and baby girl Greene there might be thirsty. It's scorching outside. I thought I was gonna pass out in the garden earlier." Annette took a seat on the other side of.

"Thank you." Carol replied, bringing the cool substance to her lips, drinking eagerly, and letting out a satisfied sigh after her large gulp. It was July and the weather in Georgia was smoldering. She'd worked up a sweat just walking around the yard with Daryl earlier. Being six months pregnant sure wasn't helping this heat be any more tolerable.

Hershel peered over the top of his paper, smiled at her, then dropped the paper on the table. "How'd things go with the Dixon brother's? Did you like the place?"

She took another large sip of her drink before answering. When she was done she wiped her mouth. "Actually, only one Dixon brother was there."

"Let me guess, Daryl was the one that was home.?" He chuckled.

She nodded. "He showed me the inside and then walked me around the yard. I told him I'd like to have it."

"Good." Annette stated, placing a hand over Carol's own and giving it a squeeze. "We're happy you're going to be so close to us. That we're gonna get to be around to watch this little one grow."

She offered her aunt a small smile then turned her attention to her uncle, shooting him a questioning look. "Why didn't you tell Daryl and Merle I was pregnant?"

Hershel raised a brow at her. "I did."

She shook her head. "Well, he sure doesn't remember you saying it if you did. Poor guy freaked out when he saw me on his doorstep. He thought I was some random girl coming to tell his brother he knocked her up."

"That wouldn't really be that much of a stretch for Merle." Annette chuckled.

He chuckled, too. "I would've loved to see the look on Daryl's face. I bet the boy was flustered."

"It's not funny." She insisted, but she couldn't help but a laugh a bit to herself. "He was so embarrassed and he could barely form complete sentences after. He couldn't even get the word pregnant out. It's like he was going to burst into flames if he said it."

She turned to her husband. "What exactly did you tell them, honey?"

"I told them my niece got a job teaching here to be closer to family. That she was in a bad way and she needed a place to stay."

"You did not say that?" Carol groaned. "Really, uncle Hershel? In a bad way? Nobody says that anymore. This isn't the fifties." She sighed. "And I'm not in a bad way, I'm just pregnant…pregnant and raising this baby myself."

"What did you want me to tell them, Carol? You got knocked up and the asshole left you to raise this child all by yourself?" He raised his voice. "That I'd like to the sorry cut the sorry bastards balls off if I ever got my hands on him for leaving you all alone like that?"

Annette stood up and ran a comforting hand over her husband's back. "Calm down. You know you have high blood pressure."

"Lots of women raise children on their own." Carol insisted. "Me and Sophia are gonna be just fine. I don't need him. _She doesn't need him_. And I'm not alone." She firmly added. "That's why I wanted to move here. I have you two. I have Maggie and Shawn and Beth. I'm not alone in this."

He hung his head. "I'm sorry. I'm just so angry with him. I don't even know him…but the kinda man who can abandon his child like that…"

"He isn't a man at all." Annette muttered.

"No, he isn't." He agreed. "But you're right. You have us. Your family. And we're going to be here for you and Sophia. She's better off, just like you said."

()()()

Maggie, Shawn and Beth got home not long after Carol got back from the Dixon's. And she was thankful for the distraction their presence brought. Her earlier conversation with her aunt and uncle had her feeling a bit on edge.

She understood that Hershel wasn't happy with the fact that the father of her child had abandoned them both, but it wasn't a thought she really liked to dwell on or discuss. She tried to push that thought from her mind as much as she could.

She'd met the father of her child at a teaching conference she'd been attending in Stone Mountain. The conference lasted three days and teachers from school districts all across the state had been put up in the hotel at the conference center.

He'd been sitting beside her at one of the work-shops she attended the first morning she was there. They'd hit it off and talked almost the entire time. She even remembered getting in trouble for causing a distraction to the other teachers in the work-shop. It made her feel like a school girl again herself. Both of them had giggled like children when they'd been scolded.

He'd been charming and funny and he was handsome in his own right. A very tall man, towering almost. Dark hair, dark eyes, and he always seemed to be wearing a smug smirk. There was an air of confidence about him, an almost cocky nature she'd found appealing at the time. Though, now she was having a hard time remembering why she found it so endearing.

Maybe it was because she hadn't long gotten out of a relationship that she'd stayed in for far too long where she wasn't truly happy with her partner. Maybe it was because she felt like her life had become so mundane and repetitive that she was dying for a little excitement.

She'd always lived her life straight laced. By the book. Done what she was supposed to do. What was thought of as the right thing. But she wasn't sure she'd always been doing what was right for her.

That's why she'd stayed with Tobin, her pervious boyfriend, so long. She'd met him about two years before. In a time when she truly felt like her life was falling apart. And he'd been there for her. Comforted her. Provided a shoulder to cry on while she healed. And because of that she'd felt a sense of duty to him. Like she owed him something for the kindness he'd shown her in her time of need.

Her mother had passed away that winter unexpectedly. A massive heart attack. Dead at fifty-four with no warning.

Her mother was all she'd had for so long. And she meant the world to her. The woman had raised her on her own after Carol's father, who happened to be Hershel's brother, was killed in mill accident when she was twelve.

Hershel was a family man. A man of duty and honor. After her father passed away he'd felt like it was his job to step in and be that positive male role model in her life. He'd always made sure to get Carol whenever he could. Letting her spend weekends at his farm. Going to school events. Making sure he was at her high school graduation and then her college graduation. She knew she was always a part of his family and that she'd always be welcomed there.

But when she lost her mother Hershel and his family were almost three hours away and she was working in a city up near Atlanta.

On a particularly difficult day after her mother's passing she'd gone to a local coffee shop she frequented. Tobin happened to own the place. She knew him, but not well at the time. She'd never talked to him outside one of her morning treks to get coffee, though she could recall him flirting with her on several occasions when she'd come in. Sometimes she'd even flirted back playfully, though she hadn't ever thought or wanted anything more to come of it.

But on that day she'd gone into his shop, visibly shaken by her recent tragedy, she'd burst into tears when he'd asked her if she was alright. She hadn't truly let herself feel the loss until that point. She'd been trying to be strong, handling funeral arrangements, taking care of financials, and returning to work the moment she'd could. That morning, for whatever reason, she just hadn't been able to hold it in anymore. And Tobin had been there to listen to her. He'd been so kind and compassionate. Giving her a much needed shoulder to cry on. They'd formed a bond that day. A friendship. And they started spending some time together after that a few days a getting to know each other. Eventually he worked up the nerve to ask her on a date and after he'd been so good to her she felt a certain duty to go out with him. Like she couldn't say no after how nice he had been.

That sense of duty had led to her being in a relationship with the man for two years. One that completely lacked true love or passion. On her part at least. He seemed completely head over heels in love with her, and that had made it even harder for her to break things off with him. But in the end, she'd had to. She hadn't had a choice. It was what was the right thing to do for both of them.

He'd proposed to her a two months before she went to that conference. It was their anniversary and he told her he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. That he'd known that since the moment he met her the first time she ever came in for coffee.

She should have been thrilled. Ecstatic. Over the moon. Any other woman would be.

Instead, she'd felt light headed, dizzy, like the room was closing in on her. She'd thrown up on him.

It wasn't that he was a bad man. He wasn't. Not at all. He was kind, compassionate, mild-mannered. He wore flannel shirts for God's sake. But she wasn't in love with him. She didn't wanna spend the rest of her life with him. And when she thought about that ring going on her finger it was the first time she wondered what she'd been missing out the last two years. What she'd be missing out on if she said yes.

She didn't look at him like Hershel looked at Annette. Like he'd looked at his first wife Josephine. Like her cousin Maggie looked at Glenn. When she talked about him to her family that fire and passion just wasn't there.

If her mother's death had taught her anything, it was that life was short and it could be over in the blink of an eye. Like a vapor, you were here one minute and gone the next. She didn't wanna spend the rest of hers just settling.

So, she'd told him no. And for the first time in a long time, she felt like she could breathe again. Like there wasn't this huge weight on her chest, holding her in place to keep someone else happy.

She'd felt awful about hurting Tobin. She did care for him as a person. As a friend. And it broke her heart to know the pain that her saying no had caused him. But she couldn't do it anymore. She couldn't pretend to just make him happy.

She wanted to see what else was out there. She wanted to find the person who made her as happy as Annette made Hershel. As Glenn made Maggie.

She'd thought maybe that's what she'd been doing that night at the conference when Ed Peletier, the P.E. teacher at Fulton County High School, asked her to dinner afterwards. She thought that's what she was doing when she had three glasses of wine at dinner. When he kissed her fiercely when he dropped her back off her hotel room that night. When she stupidly invited a man she barely knew to spend the night with her that night. Then again when she invited him to stay in her room the next three days.

She'd never done anything like that before in her life. He was the first man she'd been with since Tobin. And she wasn't the kinda girl who normally invited strange men back to her room. Not even before Tobin. This was out of character for her completely. But she'd felt a spark with him. A connection. And that's something she hadn't felt with a man in a long time.

It had been overwhelming and exciting and she let herself get carried away. So carried away she'd gotten careless and they hadn't used protection that first night. Which was also completely unlike her.

They'd exchanged numbers after. And he'd even come to see her almost every weekend over the next two months. Staying at her place since he lived two counties away. Bringing her flowers and chocolates. Taking her on nice dates.

Her friend Tara, who had been teaching in the classroom beside Carol for the last eight years, had urged Carol to be careful with him. She'd also been at that conference and met Ed. And there'd been something about the man she just hadn't trusted. But Carol couldn't be swayed at the time, she couldn't hear a word she said when it came to doubting the man's character and intentions.

Though, she had managed to persuade Carol it would be good to go get checked since they'd had that unprotected tryst and she didn't know his history. She also told Carol it might be a good idea to get back on birth control if she was going to continue to see the man. And she hadn't been able to argue either of those points.

That's how she'd found out she was pregnant and her world came crashing down on her.

She knew she didn't know Ed well enough to have a child by him. She liked him a lot. She had fun with him. But they just didn't know each other well enough for that, yet. She knew he wasn't going to be very happy with the news. But she hadn't expected the reaction she'd gotten from him.

He'd flipped out completely. And not in the completely awkward way Daryl had when he'd seen a random pregnant woman on his steps earlier. She could have taken stunned silence and incoherent mumbles over Ed's reaction any day.

This man, the man she'd been spending time with these past two months, cussed her out. Called her a bitch and a whore. He said she was trying to trap him. To take his money. That she planned this. He said the baby probably wasn't even his because he and his wife had been trying to have a baby for three years and she'd been unable to get pregnant.

Which had been a gut wrenching realization to her. She was sleeping with a married man. Someone's husband. And she hadn't even known it. He'd never worn a wedding ring or mentioned having a wife at home. Let alone one he was trying to start a family with. She felt terrible. Like a worthless, home wrecking whore. She didn't wanna be the reason someone's marriage broke up.

She'd yelled back at him, pure anger oozing from her core at how he was talking to her and how he'd kept something like that from her the beginning. Things got heated between them and the screaming increased. He ended up slapping her in the face, which stunned her so much she fell into complete silence. A man had never put his hands on her in her entire life. And he just done it knowing she was carrying his child.

It seemed to stun him, too. Because he stopped yelling after a moment. He apologized, lowered his tone, then reached into his wallet and pulled out a check. He wrote one for three thousand dollars, telling her it should cover the expense of "taking care of" her situation. He told her the rest should be enough to make her forget about everything that happened between them and that they should go their separate ways now.

She snatched the check from him, ripped it to shreds, then screamed at him to get out of her apartment. He hadn't wanted to leave, but she'd threatened to call the cops if he didn't and report him slapping her. He hadn't wanted to chance getting arrested and letting that get back to his wife, so he'd high tailed it out of there.

Her friend Tara had come over to calm her down and she wasn't sure she would have made it through the next few weeks without her. She was so supportive of her. Always lending an ear and a shoulder to cry one when she needed her too.

She went back and forth, trying to decide on whether or not she actually wanted to keep this child. She knew she'd be raising it alone. Ed wanted no part of it. He'd made that clear. He'd even contacted her by phone several times since she told him about her pregnancy to see if she'd had things "taken care of." She'd hung up each time.

She'd always loved kids. Ever since she could remember. She was ten years older than Maggie and Shawn, fourteen years older than Beth. But she'd always loved spending time with her younger cousins, despite the age difference.

And her love of children had gotten her into teaching in the first place. She'd gotten her degree in education and spent the last ten years working with kids in an under privileged schools. Hoping to make their life better. To be the person who'd make a difference for someone.

Other than the fulfillment she got from work, her life had felt empty for a while now.

Maybe that's why she'd let herself get lost in Ed those two months. He was a distraction. A temporary fill to some empty hole she had in her heart.

Looking back, she didn't think she'd been in love with Ed either. It had been infatuation, not true love. She didn't feel a great loss with the fact that he wasn't in her life anymore. Hell, if anything, after his true character was revealed she felt relieved.

But that didn't take away the guilt and shame she felt about sleeping with a married man. Even if she hadn't known he was married it didn't stop how terrible she felt about the situation.

And she still hated the fact that her child's father didn't want a thing to do with them. That one day she was going to have to tell her child that the man who made them hadn't wanted them. Yes, Ed was an asshole, and she knew the baby was better off without a man that had a volatile temper like that, but it didn't mean her child would understand that. Not for a long time anyway.

She couldn't believe she'd been so stupid. That she'd let herself make such bad decisions and end up getting herself and an innocent child involved in a situation like this.

But when she'd gone to her first doctor's appointment and heard her daughter's heartbeat for the first time, it was the first time in a long time she time she hadn't felt that emptiness inside. And she could almost swear could feel her mother beside her that day, holding her hand and whispering in her ear that everything was going to be okay. That she was supposed to do this. She was supposed to be this child's mother. It didn't matter how it came about or what the father was like, she wanted to keep her baby. And as intimidating as the thought of raising a child on her own was, she knew she could do it.

She made a decision that day. She was going to move back to the town she'd grown up in after her school year was over. She was going to live close to her uncle Hershel and the rest of her family that she had left. Her baby might not have its father, but it would have Hershel and his family to be there for it, just like she'd had growing up after he own father passed away.

She was coming back to the town she grew up in and she was going to start over there with her child.

In a house with a yard her daughter would get to play in. With her family close by. With a shy, awkward redneck man and his brother that she'd yet to meet living on the other end of the house. She would raise her daughter there.

And as many fears and insecurities as she still had that she hadn't really told anyone about regarding this whole situation, she felt a certain calmness about her when it came to starting this new chapter in her life. There was a peace there, that for the first time in long time she was exactly where she was supposed to be and that everything she'd felt had been missing would finally come together for her.

 **Thanks for reading/reviewing. Hope those of you reading are enjoying it.**


	4. Chapter 4

Merle finally returned from helping Axel about four hours after he'd left. He kicked his muddy pair of boots off at the door and walked in the living room where his little brother was sprawled out on the couch. A beer in one hand and the remote in the other, flipping through channels.

"It took that damn long to get the fucking truck unstuck?" Daryl growled, still annoyed Merle had left him to deal with showing the apartment earlier.

Merle reached out and grabbed Daryl's beer out of his hand, taking a large swig for himself. "Spent some time getting mine dirty after. Had to show him that my Ford could handle more than his Toyota. You know how it is when we get together. One of us always ends up talking shit and trying to outdo the other. So, how'd things go with Hershel's niece? She want the place?"

He grunted. "Yeah. She wants it." He snatched his beer back out of Merle's hands and sneered at him.

He cut his eyes at Daryl. "Damn, you're pissy. Go change your fucking tampon or something. Get the sand out of your vagina." Merle walked into the kitchen and grabbed a beer of his own, then took his seat by Daryl once again. "So, Hershel's niece, what's she look like? Tell me all about her body. I want explicit details about everything."

"I didn't really get that great of a look at her. I was kinda preoccupied with a certain part of her." He muttered.

Merle motioned to his chest and grinned lasciviously. "Titties? Are they huge?"

"That ain't the part I was staring at."

"Ass? Was it a rump roast? Bubble butt?" He curved his hand over the air and "squeezed."

He shook his head. "Don't know. I didn't check out that part of her."

"The fuck were so busy looking at then? Her big, beautiful eyes?" Merle scoffed.

Daryl paused, that was actually something he had let himself notice about her before becoming preoccupied with her protruding belly. They were big and welcoming, a nice shade of blue. She had pretty eyes. And a pretty smile. That's just not an answer Merle would be satisfied with and he'd call him a pussy if he said anything like that. He pointed to his abdomen. "My eyes were kinda stuck right here most of the time. When I wasn't looking at the ground."

"That bad? Damn. She's a fatty? Huh, I wasn't expecting that. Was hoping she'd kinda look like Maggie."

He groaned. "She ain't a fatty, asshole. And she wasn't ugly either. She's got a baby in there."

"She's knocked up?" He asked, a look of surprise on his face that matched Daryl's from earlier.

"Yep." He sipped his beer. "And it'd have been nice if someone fucking told me or if you'd have been here like you'd said you would be. I made a fucking ass of myself. First I got scared it was some random girl I fucked and didn't remember because I was so drunk. Then when I figured out it wasn't because I'd remember her I thought you done knocked someone up." He recounted the story of how the meeting went to his brother.

"Oh, shit." Merle, snickered, slapping his knee with delight. "I wish I'd seen that shit." He shook his head, biting back another look because of the angry scowl he was getting. "I wonder why Hershel didn't tell us she was pregnant? Her husband or boyfriend moving in, too? Because I think we should up the price a bit if she ain't staying alone."

"She ain't got a husband or boyfriend. It's just her." He paused. "Well, her and her little girl."

"Where's the daddy?"

"Don't know. Didn't ask. None of my business." Truthfully, he was a little curious to know himself, but he wasn't going to ask. He didn't know her that well, and even if he did, the troubled reaction she'd had when he brought it up would deter him asking anyway. He was bad enough talking to people normally, let alone someone who was upset. "

Merle scratched his chin. You know? Thinking back, I wonder if that's what Hershel meant when he said she was in a bad way." Sounds like something Grandaddy would've said about a girl being knocked up without no one there to take care of her. That or she was in trouble."

"Reckon that's what he meant." He shrugged. "I just thought she lost her job, or her house, maybe wanted to get away from some psycho ex. Sure as hell wasn't expecting that." He downed the last of his beer. "Look, we ain't raising the rent on her just because she's gonna have a kid there. I already told her it stands like it is. She's a single mom. Ain't no sense in making shit harder for than it is."

Merle smirked. "Little brother, are you sweet on this gal? You know, you might as well go for it. You can't knock her up. You can hit it raw all you want.

"Fuck off with that. She's carrying a baby, you asshole."

He hummed. "Yeah, yeah. I know you aren't gonna swoop in and take a piece. You're just trying to be the sweet one. Like you always have been. Just don't let her take that for granted when rent comes due."

"I ain't asking her for money every month. You are. You said you'd handle tenants and you're going to. Oh, by the way, I told her she could pay us at the end of the month because that's when she gets paid."

"That's you not handling it?"

"You weren't here to talk to her and she had a question. What's it matter when we get the money as long as we get it?"

"You got a point." Merle propped his feet up on the coffee table. "What's her face look like? You think she's gonna be hot when she's not pregnant no more?"

"She's kinda fair skinned. Freckles. Blue eyes, reddish/brown hair. It's short. One of them pixie cuts." He titled his head, trying to visualize her. He'd let himself get a better look at her once they reintroduced themselves and started over. "She's a cute chick."

"And that's you not getting a good look at her? A cop could do a composite sketch from that description. You sure you don't wanna hit it?"

"She's having a kid, Merle. I ain't getting mixed up in all that shit. And even if she wasn't, she's our tenant. And more importantly, she's Hershel's niece. He'll fire both our asses if we do something to hurt her. I like this job. I like living here. So, please? Don't try anything with this woman. Not while she's knocked up and not after."

He held up two fingers. "Scouts honor, little brother. I won't touch her. Just remember your own rule." He winked, knowing he was irking him from all of his insinuations.

"Yeah, I ain't ever been the one to worry about when it comes to touching someone we ain't supposed to."

()()()

Carol had called and talked to Merle the next morning, asking if it was okay if she went ahead and started moving her things in. He'd apologized for not being there the day before to show her around and for Daryl's lackluster social skills. He let her know she was more than welcome to start moving her things in and said that he'd left the door unlocked for her and would give her the key later. He and Daryl sometimes worked at Axel's garage on the weekends to earn some extra cash and just because they enjoyed working on automobiles. That's where they'd be while she was moving in.

The elder Dixon brother seemed to be much more skilled in his social graces. His voice was gruff, a thick southern drawl to it, much like Daryl's, but it carried much more confidence. Maggie had told her the night before that Merle was the much more outgoing one of the two. She was eager to meet him and see how different they were in person and if they looked anything alike.

If they did, she might just die before she gave birth to this baby. Living next to two attractive men while her hormones were raging like this would be torture. She couldn't wait until this phase of her pregnancy passed. But, at least it was better than the morning sickness phase she'd gone through. Which had really been deceiving, because it was not limited to mornings. Sometimes she spent all day hugging the toilet in the first trimester. She wasn't sure she'd ever be able to eat lasagna again, and that really bummed her out because she always loved it. It had been one of her favorite foods."

The moving truck got to her new place a little after lunch that day. Hershel, Annette and their three kids, plus Glenn, had all come to help her get settled in. She almost felt useless being there, no one would let her help move anything. She was stuck arranging her pictures and trinkets while they did the nitty gritty.

Poor Glenn dropped his end of the couch he'd been carrying on his toe. The nail turned purple and she was sure it would peel off in a few days.

Her family stayed for a little while after they helped her get moved in and she decided to bake them chocolate chip cookies as a thank you. Well, that and the baby really wanted cookies.

Hershel, Annette, and Beth left first. Then Shawn. Then Glenn. Eventually it was just her and Maggie. They were sitting out on the back deck together. Enjoying the drop in temperature that the late evening brought with it.

"I bet it feels good to have a yard again." Maggie stated, as she watched two squirrels scurrying up the oak tree a few feet in front of them out in the yard.

"That's definitely a perk to country living. I missed having all this space. I went to the park a lot when I lived in the city, though. It wasn't too far from my apartment." Carol glanced around her new yard, mentally mapping out projects she'd like to do after the baby was born. Maybe she'd put in a small vegetable garden somewhere near the tree line at the back of the property. She'd definitely like to get some small flower pots for now. Maybe set out a bird bath and some bird feeders. It'd give her something to bide her time with until she started working on her classroom in a few weeks.

"I've missed you, you know? It's nice having you close by again."

"You were ten when I moved away."

"And I always looked forward to when you would visit. You'd take me to see movies I wasn't supposed to and talk about boys with me. You've always been my favorite cousin.

She smiled at Maggie. "You're my favorite, too. Just don't tell Shawn and Beth." She rubbed her belly. "I guess I shouldn't have been talking about boys with you. You might end up like me."

"Pregnant with a little girl who's going to be adorable and getting ready to be a kick ass mom? I'd be honored."

"Stop."

"I'm being serious. You've gotta stop beating yourself up about this. Ed might have been a mistake, but this baby isn't. You're getting something great out of it. It's that douchebag's lose missing out on Sophia's life. Missing out on what a great person you are."

"Thank you, Maggie. That means a lot to me. I don't regret this baby for one second, but I'd change the circumstances if I could. For her. For the woman Ed's married to. Sometimes I wonder if I should have just stayed with Tobin. At least if this was his child I know he would have been there. She'd have a father."

"And you never would have ended it with him if that was the case and you wouldn't be happy."

"My happiness isn't exactly my top priority anymore."

"Sophia's gonna be the happiest kid ever. She's being born into a pretty great family."

Carol smiled genuinely at that. "I know she is. I'm sorry I'm being such a downer today. I made peace with having her and raising her on my own. And most days I know I can do this. I feel confident about it. But somedays…I just feel guilty and it gets the best of me. Daryl asked if my boyfriend would be moving in with me yesterday. It just brought up old memories."

"Hey, it's okay. You need to vent? I'm here. You're allowed to be emotional right now. And you know what? One day, you're gonna meet a great guy and you're gonna love him as much as he loves you. And he's gonna love Sophia so much and he's gonna be a father figure to her. Screw that asshole sperm donor that made her."

The loud rumble of a truck's engine filled the air. A cherry red, lifted Ford F150 with mud tires pulled into the yard. Carol hadn't noticed it there yesterday. She assumed it was Merle and Daryl and that the truck belonged to Merle since there had been a bike there yesterday while Daryl was there and it didn't look like it had been moved.

She watched as both boys jumped out of the truck. She recognized Daryl immediately. He had on a sleeveless button up and frayed jeans. The other man, who no doubt had to be Merle, had on similar attire. He was sporting a buzz cut and arms just as defined as his brother's. He wasn't quite as handsome as Daryl, but he wasn't unattractive either. She caught Daryl's eyes as he closed the door of his truck and offered him a small wave. He gave her a half grin and nodded in her direction. His acknowledgement of her presence got the other man's attention and he started in her direction.

"Evening, Maggie." Merle said as he mounted the steps that led to Carol's deck.

"Good to see you, Merle."

He offered his best smile when he looked at Carol. "We spoke on the phone a few times, but it's nice to meet you in person. You're even prettier than you sounded on the phone, darling. I'm Merle Dixon." He extended his hand.

She blushed, gave it a quick shake, and smiled politely. "Nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you from my uncle."

"Oh, I heard a bit about you from my brother myself." He glanced over his shoulder and saw a blushing Daryl flick his eyes to the ground. He grinned wickedly and reached into his pocket, handing a set of keys to Carol. "These belong to you. little lady. We look forward to having you as our tenant and neighbor. If you ever need a hand. Just give us a call or knock on our door."

She took them and thanked him.

"Well, I reckon we best get cleaned up." He motioned to his oil covered clothes and his face that was stained with black smears. "Been working under cars all day."

"Of course. Well, it was nice meeting you. And thank you so much for letting me rent the place. It really means a lot."

"Not a problem, sugar. None at all. Glad to help you and that little one there." He pointed to her belly. "Don't be a stranger, now. You feel free to stop by any time you're bored and needing some company. Daryl here's quite the talker, but you know that." He smirked again and made his way down the stairs and back towards the house.

Daryl was standing still on the top step of her deck where he had been since he and Merle walked over from the truck. He was shifting his left food back and forth over the wood and his eyes were trained downwards at his feet. Merle had obviously embarrassed him again. "It was good seeing you again, Daryl." She called out to him.

He looked up when he heard her voice, met her eyes, offered her an awkward sideways grin, then mumbled, "you too." Before tossing his hand up and jogging down the steps.

When both men were inside Maggie started laughing to herself.

"What's funny?" Carol inquired, arching her brows at her younger cousin.

"Oh, nothing." She giggled some more.

"Something."

"Just the way you were looking at Daryl."

"And how was I looking at him?"

"Don't even play dumb with me. Smiling at him like that. It's like you thought he was a five course meal."

"I was not!" She gasped.

"Oh honey, you so were."

She felt her cheeks turn crimson. "I…I….you have no idea what it's like right now. You know how when you're on your period and you suddenly get insanely horny?"

Maggie nodded.

"Well, it's like that times a thousand. I see a man that good looking and my hormones kick into overdrive and my mind starts thinking about pinning him to a wall and ripping his clothes off." She covered her mouth. "I did not just say that out loud."

"You totally did."

"Oh, God. You don't think he knows I was looking at him like that do you? Is that why he's so awkward around me?"

"No, trust me, Daryl doesn't have a clue. You could strip naked next time you saw him and he still probably wouldn't have a clue. He's just really shy when he meets new people. He'll get used to you. When he does, he's a really nice guy. Glenn likes him a lot. He only had to deliver about forty pizzas to his house before he had a real conversation with him. Live here six months, and he'll probably be able to look you in the eye by then." She paused. "Don't strip naked in front of him, by the way. If you're looking for a quick fix to that itch of yours, Merle's the better option. I don't even really think he'd too much mind the fact that you're pregnant."

"I'm not gonna act on it with either of them! My life is complicated enough right now without getting involved with someone else. I've gotta focus on getting things ready for the baby and starting my new life. Besides, that's why I have B.O.B."

"Bob?"

"Battery operated boyfriend." She winked.

They laughed together.

()()()

Later that night after Maggie left and Carol got restless and baked a second batch of cookies. She decided to see if Merle of Daryl wanted any. It seemed like a good way to get on her landlord's good side and maybe get to know them better. She used her key to unlock the door on her side that connected the two sides of the house. She knocked a few times on the door that led to their side.

Heavy footsteps followed and Daryl answered the door. He looked almost concerned to see her standing there. "You alright over there? Something wrong with the baby or something?"

"Oh, no. Not at all. I just made cookies." She held out a Rubbermaid container filled to the brim. "I figured you both might like some."

He glanced down at the container then back up to her and chewed at his lip. "That was nice. Thank you." He reached out to take the container from her and Merle walked up behind him.

"You baked us some cookies?"

She nodded. "Chocolate chip."

"My, my, that was awfully sweet of you." He nudged Daryl's shoulder. "Wasn't it little brother?"

"Mhm."

"Say? Why don't you come inside? We can get to know you a little better."

She looked over at Daryl. He was staring his brother down. She remembered how he said he didn't do well with new people and how shy Maggie said he was. "I don't wanna intrude. I should probably get back to..."

A mischievous grin lined his face. "Nonsense. We want you to stay. Come on in."

She followed the brothers to the kitchen table. There were two open beers and a deck of cards sitting on it.

"You play blackjack?" Merle asked, as he pulled out a seat for he between them.

"I've played before."

He nodded and dealt her into the game. "I'd offer you a beer, but I don't think that'd be good for the baby."

"Probably not." She laughed. Merle offered her a coke instead and she took it, even though she normally limited her caffeine intake these days. They made idle chit chat. Talking about where she used to work. Where she'd gone to school. How long they'd worked for Hershel. She told them she'd grown up in this town and asked where they were from. She found out they moved around a lot over the last twelve years and that this was the place they'd lived in the longest. They'd lived almost everywhere in Georgia, it seemed. Macon, Metter, Savannah, Swainsboro, Statesboro, Jonesboro, Griffin. For the most part, Daryl remained largely quiet and Merle dominated the conversation. She'd found he was much more talkative yesterday when his brother wasn't around, and he hadn't said much then, so that was saying something.

"Who's the father." Merle blurted out after six more beers.

"Merle!" Daryl snapped. "You don't ask people shit like that." He couldn't believe Merle brought that shit up. He'd just met this girl and it wasn't their business. And he remembered the painful look she'd shown yesterday when he asked about her boyfriend. He didn't want her getting upset again.

She swallowed and forced a smile. "It's okay, Daryl. I'm actually used to that question." People back where she'd lived had asked her all the time when she first found out. Some people had even assumed it had been Tobin's. She took a deep breath to steady her voice. "He, ah, he isn't around. He doesn't wanna be."

"You were dating him or he was just some quick fuck?"

"Merle!" Daryl growled, narrowing his eyes. "Shut up."

"I'm just getting to know her better, little brother. If she didn't wanna answer, she'd tell me."

"It's okay." She assured him, again. She could tell Daryl was getting angry with Merle and felt he was out of line. But this wasn't the first time she'd been asked this, it was the first time it had been asked this crassly, but people asked her all the time in a politer way. It wasn't going to be the last time she had to explain herself either. She may as well get used to it. "We were dating about two months. It wasn't planned. I thought we were more serious than he did." She chose not to go into the details of the fact that Ed had been married. That was a whole other can of worms. And she had a feeling even if he hadn't of been married he wouldn't have wanted the child anyway.

"That's why I wrap my shit in latex. Don't want nobody stealing my paychecks." He stood up and swayed on his feet. "I gotta fucking piss."

"I don't want his money." She added defensively, looking to Daryl. "I'm not asking for child support from him. I don't want a damn thing from him."

Daryl stood, he looked at her sympathetically and softened his voice. "It's getting late and we got work tomrorow. I'll walk you back to your side and lock the door behind you."

She walked behind him in silence. He opened the door for her and she went to step through, thinking that was going to be the end of the night since he hadn't been much for conversation, but he flicked on the light and followed her into the hallway and shut the door behind them.

"My brother's a real asshole when he drinks. Don't know how to keep his damn mouth shut. I'm sorry."

She smiled at him weakly. He seemed really upset for how his brother had acted. "It's alright. He isn't the first person to ask me something like that. He won't be the last. Hell, I guess my own kid's gonna ask me some day. I better get as much practice in with my answers as I can."

"Shit ain't right." He muttered.

"People are curious by nature. Merle isn't the only nosey person in the world."

"Not that." He mumbled. He glanced at her belly and shook his head. "Someone leaving their kid. Not being there. Shit ain't right, what he did to you and that baby. His little girl. A daddy should be there for their youngin."

She wondered if he was buzzing a little himself, because that was one of the longest conversations she'd had with him up until this point.

"I'm really sorry."

He was actually looking her in the eye for once. His eyes were a bit glazed, which told her he more than likely was buzzed. There was a look in them, but not the look of pity that most people gave her when they learned about her situation. It was a look of….she didn't know what to call it, exactly….understanding maybe? As if, maybe he knew what it felt like to not have someone be there for him. "You don't have to be sorry. Sometimes we're better off without certain people in our life."

He nodded and chewed at his bottom lip. He didn't prod her or question her response. He seemed to want to crawl back into his space after that and shut whatever small door he'd opened to her. "Best be getting to bed. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Daryl." She waved as he walked back into his side of the house. She watched him stop before shutting his door, waving back at her and giving her one last, long hard look before he closed the door.


	5. Chapter 5

When Merle woke up the next morning he was in a cheerful mood. After he got finished taking a piss last night he'd walked in the kitchen to re-join his brother and their new neighbor/tenant. Daryl was cleaning up the beer cans on the dining room table and Carol was nowhere to be found. His younger brother told him she'd decided to call it a night and that they needed to do the same since they had to be up bright and early for work.

Merle hadn't given her leaving another thought, nor did he give any thoughts to his actions towards her. He'd simply scarfed down the rest of the cookies she'd baked for them, taken a straight shot of jack, then knocked out for the night. Between his full belly and the good buzz he'd worked up, he slept like a baby.

Daryl, however, wasn't in as jovial of a mood, it seemed. His brother had been short with him all morning. Barely muttering two words the entire time they shoveled cereal into their mouth, which was their usual pre-work breakfast.

At first Merle assumed maybe he'd been a bit hungover, but that didn't make sense, because Daryl hadn't drunk half as much as he had. Then he wondered if maybe he just didn't get enough sleep, his brother could be a cranky bastard if he didn't get enough sleep. But he'd gone to his room and shut his lights off while Merle sat at the table finishing the cookies, so that probably wasn't it either. Besides, he didn't exhibit the normal hoarseness in his tone this morning that he usually did when he was sleep deprived.

No, whatever was eating at him, it was something else. Something Merle didn't have the damndest clue as to what it could be, and he didn't have the patience to sit around trying to guess at it either. So, on the way to work when Daryl continued to sulk, brow furrowed, arms bunched over his chest, Merle decided to just he might as well ask. He glanced away from the road and towards his baby brother. "What the fuck crawled up your ass?"

His question only peeved Daryl off even more. His scowl deepened and he narrowed his eyes on the elder Dixon. "Are you fucking serious right now?"

"Quit being a dramatic little fucker. You're acting pissy. I don't know why. Why don't you save us both some time and tell me what the fucking problem is?"

"You acted like a dick last night." He deadpanned.

Merle seemed genuinely stunned at his accusation. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"With Carol."

"How the hell was I a dick?" He huffed. "I invited her over. Talked to her a whole hell of a lot more than you did. If anyone's a dick it's you with your….your grunts and one word responses and staring down at the beer can on the table instead of making eye contact like a normal damn person."

"Yeah. You talked to her alright. Asking her all kinds of questions about her baby's daddy and where he was. Asking her how long they was together before she got knocked up. Real polite of you."

"I was making conversation."

"That shit wasn't none of your business, Merle. It upset her."

"Pfft. No it didn't." He dismissively waved. "If it did she wouldn't have answered. She'd have told me to keep my damn mouth shut."

"Maybe she's got more damn manners than you and that's why she didn't. I'm telling you, man, she didn't like talking about it. You didn't hear how her whole tone of voice changed when you asked her that? How she wouldn't even look up at either of us after?"

"Ain't nothing wrong with what I asked." He grumbled. "It's a valid fucking question. We got a right to know if some dude's gonna be showing up on our property every other weekend to get his kid. And we got a right to know what kinda guy's gonna be there doing that. He could be the type to cause trouble."

"Except there ain't no guy gonna be showing up because he ain't around. I told you that after she came and looked at the place. You didn't have to bring it up."

"You're making way too big of a damn deal out of this."

Daryl let out an annoyed sigh. "Look, I just, I think she's having a hard enough time right now without someone reminding her about it or making her talk about it. Woman raising a kid on her own? That shit's hard and you know it." He shook his head. "There's shit we wouldn't nobody bringing up to us. Wounds you don't want poked, and I know you don't, because I damn sure don't. It's the same kinda shit. Alright? So, just don't bring it up around her again….and you need to apologize for being so damn nosey in the first place."

Merle shifted uncomfortably in the driver's seat. He sucked in a deep breath and nodded his head. "I won't bring it up again….but I ain't fucking apologizing either." He mumbled.

()()()

Daryl had gone to his friend Rick Grimes house after work that evening. Rick and his girlfriend Lori had found out they were having a little boy the week before and ever since then Lori had been on a mission to go ahead and starting getting things ready, even though she still had four months left in her pregnancy. She'd been on Rick's ass to go ahead and start painting the baby's room a pale blue color. After that was accomplished she wanted him to go ahead and put the crib together so she could buy a Mickey Mouse bedding set she was hell bent on having.

Rick had asked Daryl to swing by and help him start painting because he hadn't wanted to do the task alone, and apparently wasn't good at painting, but Daryl also suspected he wanted to bitch about how much Lori's pregnancy hormones were driving him insane. According to Rick, the woman was never happy these days and simply looking at her wrong could start a fight.

Though, in Daryl's opinion, their relationship hadn't been all that different before she got knocked up. After all, a fight with Lori is what lead to Rick and Daryl meeting in the bar that night and becoming friends.

"So, how are things with Hershel's niece renting the place working out?" Rick asked as he rolled a coat of paint on the white wall in front of him.

"Good I reckon." Daryl mumbled as he worked beside his friend. "She moved all of her stuff in yesterday while we were at Axel's shop."

"What's she like?" Rick asked. "Is she what you were expecting?"

Was she what he was expecting? What the fuck kinda question was that? Daryl wondered to himself. He hadn't really been expecting anything. She was just some girl related to Hershel that was gonna live in the other half of his house.

Okay, well, he had been expecting her to not have a baby in her belly, but other than that, he hadn't really built up much of a picture of her in his mind. "Not exactly." He uttered without really thinking.

Rick stopped moving his paint roller and look at Daryl curiously. "What do you mean?"

Daryl continued working and didn't bother looking over at Rick. "She's having a kid." He blurted out. And he wasn't even exactly sure why it had come out. He wasn't normally one to babble about other peoples business.

"Oh, I didn't realize she was with anyone. Is the father moving in, too?"

Daryl hummed and started moving the paint roller more forcefully. "She ain't with no one. Son of a bitch left her when he found out about the baby."

Rick's voice fell. "Damn, that really sucks."

"Yeah….it's some shit, ain't it?" Daryl agreed, a certain edge concealed behind his voice.

Rick slowly picked his paint roller up and went back to work. Silence filtered between them as they worked, but after a while Rick spoke up again. "I couldn't imagine leaving my son. I was scared shitless when Lori told me she was pregnant….but now…I don't know…I can't imagine this baby not being in my life in a few months."

Daryl didn't comment, didn't even look in Rick's direction. Instead, he concentrated harder on his work.

"How far along is she?"

"Little bit farther along than Lori. I think she said six months."

"Boy or Girl?"

"Little girl."

Rick chuckled to himself. "Lori wanted a girl something awful." He carefully glanced over his shoulder to make sure his pregnant girlfriend wasn't anywhere within earshot. When he was confident she wasn't, he leaned in closer to Daryl and whispered. "I don't think I could have handled two of them."

()()()

A few hours and several coats of paint later they were finished with baby boy Grimes room. Lori squealed with delight when they were done and thanked them both profusely. It was the best mood Daryl had seen her be in a long time. At least the best mood she'd been in concerning Rick.

Daryl decided to head out after, despite Lori's insistence that he stay and let her cook him something to eat as a thank you. He just wasn't in the mood for social pleasantries.

Rick followed him on his way out the door. He was grinning widely and bouncing on the balls of his feet when they both stopped in front of Daryl's bike. "I can't thank you enough for coming to help me tonight. I'm probably gonna get laid for the first time in weeks because of this."

"Kinda sad I gotta help you get laid by your baby mama." Daryl chuckled.

Rick's grin faded and a troubled look washed over his eyes. "I don't get it, man. Michonne said her sister was horny all the time during the second half of her pregnancy. I was hoping that would kick in with Lori and maybe we'd be able to recapture the magic."

Daryl's brows shot up at that. Michonne was Rick's partner on the force. She had been ever since he moved here to work for the sheriff's department three years ago. They were friends, had been since before he started dating Lori, but Daryl wasn't sure Lori would appreciate Rick talking about their sex life with another woman.

"It's not like that!" Rick said, defensively when he noticed the look Daryl was casting him. "Michonne and I are good friends. We talk about stuff. No different than me and you talking."

"If you say so." Daryl didn't press him or scold him on the matter. It was his relationship. His business. Hell, maybe it was okay. Daryl sure as shit hadn't ever been in a relationship before. He didn't know what was or wasn't acceptable.

"Anyway, I better get back inside. Lori actually seems to like me tonight and I'm not wasting that. Maybe this is what we needed to get back on track."

"Alright. Good luck. l'll see you around." Daryl tossed up a hand.

"See you." Rick waved. Oh, and just so you know, if you ever need anything, just tell me. I'll be glad to help you."

Daryl had just thrown a leg over his bike and was about to get ready and kick start it when Rick's words made him pause. He chewed at his bottom lip as he contemplated something in his head. When he looked up he nodded slightly at his friend. "Think I do need your help with something."

"Yeah, anything. Shoot."

"Carol, my tenant," He clarified, when Rick gave him a confused look. "You think you could introduce her to Lori? Maybe let them hang out or get to know each other or whatever?"

Rick's confusion only grew at that request. "Why do you want me to do that?"

Daryl rubbed his thumb and forefinger together to occupy the nervous energy he was starting to feel. "Don't know, really. Just think it's a good idea. They're both pregnant."

"You think just because they're both having babies they should become friends?"

Daryl shrugged and studied his thumb and index finger as the slid against each other. "Their kids are gonne be about the same age. Makes sense. They could do play dates or some shit or talk about what it's like being having a baby inside you."

Rick scratched his chin and pondered Daryl's idea. "Actually, it might not be a bad idea. It might help Lori to have someone to relate to. Plus, she hasn't made that many girl friends since she moved here."

"Alright. Why don't you bring Lori by the house sometime this week? Get her to cook us up something and we can get her to walk over and ask Carol to eat with us."

Rick stared at him blankly. "Do you know how many things are wrong with what you just said?"

Daryl's face squished up in offense. "Name one thing wrong with it!"

"You want me to tell my hormonal, pregnant girlfriend that she needs to come to your house and cook for both of us and some girl she's never met before?"

"Yeah? What's wrong with that? Lori likes to cook. She cooks all the damn time. She cooked tonight and offered to feed me, too."

Rick washed his hand over his face. "You have no clue about women at all, do you?" Daryl just stared at him like he still didn't understand what he said was wrong. "And second, Lori doesn't even know her! She can't be the one to go invite her over."

"Well….should I get Merle to ask her?"

"Why can't you ask her?"

He brought his thumb up to the side of his mouth and went to work gnawing at his nail. "Ain't so good with new people. You know that. Especially not her. Made an ass of myself the first time I met her and all I do is awkwardly stare at her belly."

"Why? You don't stare at Lori's belly like that."

Daryl shrugged and ripped what little bit of nail he had left on his thumb off, then spit it on Rick's driveway.

"Alright." Rick relented. "I'll tell you what? I'll pick up some to go stuff from somewhere in town and Lori and I will come by your place tomorrow with it around supper time. But you've gotta ask her to eat with us. Think you can handle that part?"

Daryl nodded, though he wasn't entirely sure he'd be able to pull that feat off without making himself look or sound like a fool.


	6. Chapter 6

Merle hadn't been home more than ten minutes when he realized he left his pack of smokes out in his truck. He'd gone to the local bar after work and had a few drinks. Shot the bull with some locals. Made cat calls at a few of the regular girls. It had been a routine of his since moving here. Prior to living in King County, Merle hadn't ever had much of a routine in his life. Not even as a kid.

He'd spent most of his adult life avoiding falling into one. Never letting himself grow comfortable enough to put down roots somewhere. He'd snatch Daryl up in a heartbeat and book it the moment something started to feel too complacent for him. He'd always felt like the idea of stability was some giant façade. Nothing was ever really there to stay. Nothing ever really worked out in the long run. It might seem like it for a while, but if shit was going too good, there'd always be someone waiting to snatch the rug out from under you so to speak.

Merle didn't prefer to wait around for life to fuck him over once things were going great, instead he'd always opted to dip out before that could happen. When you didn't really have anything to lose, leaving was a hell of a lot easier.

But that changed when they moved to this town. This place. With these people. And to be honest, he still didn't completely understand why it had. Maybe for once in his life the cards had all decided to just line up in his favor. Maybe it was pure, dumb luck. Maybe life would go to shit tomorrow. Hell if he knew.

All he did know was that the money they ended up making with Hershel had been too good to walk away after a few months. Unlike all the other shit jobs he and Daryl worked over the years, this one was worth something. They had pension, benefits, weekends off, over-time, insurance. That meant whenever he came down with some God-forsaken STD from whatever random chick he'd chosen to hook up with that weekend, he got the good drugs to treat it. The kind that zapped the shit real quick like.

So, he'd suggested to Daryl that they stay a few more months. Milk the job for all they could. Then skip out when the next best thing came along. A few more months turned into six, then six months into a year. Nothing half as good ever came along, and by the time Merle started feeling antsier than a two dollar with whore a coochie full of crabs, and started insisting they needed to get the fuck out of there anyway, Daryl flat out refused to leave.

He'd made friends by that time. Real, living breathing, friends of his own. The sheriff and the Asian pizza delivery kid. People he hung out with on a regular basis. As far as Merle knew, Daryl's friends had always been limited to whoever he was hanging around at the time. His baby brother had followed him like a blind puppy ever since he was knee high to a jack-rabbit. Seeing him venture out on his own and start to form a life of his own had taken Merle back some.

Then there was Hershel, their boss, the man had become a sort of mentor to Daryl. Helping him sharpen his skills in welding. Offering both boys praise and encouragement, words that hadn't exactly been used very much in their household.

Daryl ate that shit up, too. Merle could tell. At first he'd grunt or shrug the old man's compliments off. But the more he did it, the more Merle could tell Daryl actually liked it. That it made him feel all warm and fuzzy inside and shit. Because he'd get that sideways grin of his going for half a second before looking away from you like you had the plague.

Daryl had found a place here. At his job. With people he liked and felt comfortable with. And he wasn't in the mood to give that up that easily. No matter how much Merle insisted, he kept refusing to leave. Finally, he angrily told his brother if he wanted to leave so damn bad he'd have to leave without him.

Merle had been equal parts impressed and pissed off when Daryl had defied him. Daryl hadn't ever really stood up to Merle before that point. He'd always gone along with whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted.

Not that Daryl was a pussy by any means. In fact, he was a badass, and he'd break someone's jaw in heartbeat if he was pissed off, but he was loyal to a fault to people he loved. He always felt like he had to do what they wanted to keep them happy. He wasn't an alpha wolf. A valued member of the pack, sure. A good right hand man, but he'd never been the type to take the lead.

God only knew how far that extended with women. He was such a shy, flighty little fuck. It was a damn miracle he wasn't gonna be a thirty-year old virgin. Though, Merle was sure that Daryl hadn't ever really had a woman he actually wanted. Not one he wanted for more than thirty minutes anyway.

In the end, when Merle realized how important staying must be to Daryl, because it had to be pretty fucking important if he'd broken out of his shell and gotten in his face about it, he'd caved and decided to stay, too.

And amazingly, that cluster fuck moment he'd been waiting for hadn't happened. The rug hadn't been snatched out from under them, life hadn't given them a giant fuck you, nothing bad was going on for them.

In fact, things had never been better for the brothers, and Merle had to admit that Daryl putting his foot down and pitching a fit to stay had been one of the best things that ever could have happened to them.

Merle grabbed his pack of cigarettes out of his truck and went to walk back inside, when something in his peripheral vision caught his eye. There, on the deck of the other side of the house, was Carol. She was pacing around with some kind of potted plant in her hand, as if she was having a hard time deciding where to put it. The image of her lugging around the plant, pressing it tightly next to her bulging belly, stuck out in Merle's mind for some reason.

He felt himself being transported to his conversation with Daryl in the truck that morning. How his brother had blatantly told him he'd been out of line getting in her business like that the night before. At how genuinely pissed off Daryl had been about the whole situation.

Merle didn't get it. Not in the slightest. Daryl had no real reason to be upset with him about offending this woman. Yet, he clearly had been.

If it was anyone else, Merle might assume he had a crush on the woman, but hell, he'd just met her. No way he could like her. He didn't know her well enough to like her. And in Daryl's twenty-nine years of life, Merle had never really seen him crushed out on a woman before.

The only other reason Merle could figure his brother got his panties in a wad over it would be because he wanted to fuck her. But that didn't make much sense either. Carol was six months pregnant, and quite clearly showing. It wasn't that she wasn't pretty, she was, but she had a baby in there. And Merle couldn't see Daryl getting past that fact to stick it in. Plus, she wasn't exactly Daryl's type. The type of girl's he usually fucked came after him. Not vice versa. And he didn't picture Carol chasing tail while she was carrying a child that the last guy she was fucking dipped out on. That had to leave a sour taste in her mouth towards men in general. Surely, Daryl didn't have any expectations of that happening.

So, that left Merle with his final conclusion, which was that his baby brother felt sorry for her. All alone. No husband. No one to help out or take care of her or the baby. Knowing her life was about to change forever. Fuck, Merle wouldn't wanna be in her place. That shit had to be hard. Thinking about it, he even felt a little sorry for her.

That option made sense. Daryl was always the tender hearted one. He'd just gotten all sappy and shit because of the situation Carol was in. It made a hell of a lot of sense actually, the more Merle let himself think about it. In many ways, her situation hit close to home for both of them.

The more he thought about it, he ended up feeling the smallest tinge of guilt about what all he'd said last night. Damn Daryl and his bitching this morning bringing out his conscience.

Before he knew it, his feet were walking him towards her side of the house. "Good evening." He announced, once he reached the bottom step of the deck.

Her back had been facing away from Merle and she hadn't heard footsteps approaching. After years of living alone, hearing an unexpected voice in the night startled her. She jumped slightly, letting go of the plant and spinning around to see who was talking. She let out a sigh of relief when she noticed it was just Merle. "Are you trying to send me into early labor?

"Come on, now. You gotta get better ears that than if you're goonna be living around here. Daryl and I, we can be quiet as a mouse. You gotta learn to listen."

"Somehow, I don't feel like you're quiet very often."

He hummed at that. "Guess not. Listen, darling, you think we could talk for a second? If you ain't too busy trying to figure out where to put that plant and all."

She looked down at the plant she'd unintentionally dropped. "I suppose that's as good of a spot as any. Come on up."

Merle marched up the steps, then took a seat on the railing of the deck. He swung his legs back and forth, thinking about what he was going to say.

Carol filled the silence for him. "Did you come here to ask me more questions about the father of my child and my pregnancy? Maybe you wannna know how long it took to make her? Or, what position we were in? Maybe you wanna know how big his di…"

Merle tossed a hand up, hear snippy tone letting him know for sure he had indeed offended her the other night, just like Daryl told him. "Alright, alright. Calm your tits, lady. I pissed you off, I get it."

"I didn't say you pissed me off." She snarled.

"No? What's this then?"

"I'm just prepping myself for whatever inappropriate question you might be getting ready to ask me."

Merle groaned at that. "I didn't mean to piss in your corn flakes or nothing. Don't take it personally. If you didn't wanna answer, you could've told me to shut the fuck up and mind my own business."

She looked at him in disbelief. "I'm renting from you. I can't talk to you like that."

"Of course you can." He shrugged. "I'm giving you permission."

She crossed her arms over her chest and side-eyed him, as if she wanted to gauge whether or not he was serious.

"Stop looking at me like that." He huffed. "I'm telling you, I get out of line, call me on that shit. It's what Daryl has to do, only I don't listen to him no more. He bitches at me all the time and I learned to tune him out."

"Okay." She nodded, carefully.

"I'm gonna be frank with you, lady, I'm a blunt mother fucker. Brutally honest. Something runs across my mind, I'm gonna say it. That's how I've always been and that's how I always will be. If you're gonna live next to me, you might as well know that. I don't believe in being "politically correct" or whatever the fuck it's called."

"Obviously." She agreed flatly, though she let the corner of her lip turn up at him.

"No point in it if you ask me. But anyway, that ain't what I came here for. Reason I came over was because my baby brother told me I was being a dick to you. He thinks I owe you an apology, but I don't really do those and I ain't exactly sure I really owe you one. But since it's obvious he was right and I did offend you, now you know how I am and that you can speak up if you feel like I'm hurting your feelings. And you'll know I probably didn't do it on purpose in the first place. Now, since we're all clear on that, you got any questions?"

She was quiet for a moment, taking in everything he said. Especially the part where his brother had scolded him and told him he owed her an apology. As quiet as Daryl seemed to be and as dominate as Merle seemed to be, she was a bit he surprised he'd done that. Touched, but surprised. Finally, she gave him a nod of understanding and an amused smile. "No questions here. We're crystal clear on that fact that you're a completely unintentional jackass."

Merle grinned at her. "Glad you're speaking my language. We're good then?"

"Yeah, Merle. We're good."

"Good. I reckon I'm gonna get home then. Drink me a few beers. Find something on TV. Then pass the fuck out for the night."

"Sounds like a plan, I'm right behind you." She motioned to her belly. "Minus the beer of course."

He jumped off the railing and started walking away, nodding back in her direction and tossing his hand up as he jotted down the stairs and headed back towards his part of the house. Lighting a cigarette on his way.

()()()

When Daryl got home from Rick's he headed straight for his bathroom. He was covered in specks of pale blue paint from head to toe. Once he was clean he dried off, then dis-regarded the dirty towel on top of his paint stained clothes. He'd worry about putting them in the dirty clothes basket tomorrow.

Right now, all he was worried about was asking Carol to come eat dinner at his place with Rick and Lori tomorrow. Was she gonna think it was weird of him to ask her to come over and eat with people she didn't know? Would she think it was weird to come eat with him? She barely knew him. Why would she even want to come? And if she did wanna come, what did that mean? Did it mean she expected them to start hanging out or something?

He paced his bedroom floor anxiously, contemplating calling Rick and telling him to forget about the idea. But then, he thought about the fact that she'd just moved back after not living here in over ten years. And how she'd been through a lot recently and how helpful it would probably be if she had someone to talk to about what all she'd gone through. Sure, she had her family, it's why she'd moved here, but that didn't always mean they were going to be the easiest people to talk to or relate to.

Fuck! Why did he even care if she had someone to talk to anyway? He didn't know her. He'd only seen her twice. What the fuck did it matter?

Except, it did matter. For whatever reason, one far beyond his own understanding, it did matter to him. Something about her made him want to help her. To make her life easier. To lift some of the burden he knew she must be feeling.

And introducing her to Lori seemed like the best way he could think of to do that. It wasn't much, but it's the only plan he really had for now. Besides, like Rick said, maybe it would help Lori, too. She and Rick hadn't exactly been planning their pregnancy either, and in many ways it turned their lives upside down completely.

He growled in frustration with himself as he continued to pace the floor. None of this made a bit of fucking sense to him, but he couldn't stop himself and he knew it was going to be on his mind until he did something about it. So, he stalked his way out of his bedroom and out into the small hallway that was between his bedroom and the kitchen. When he was in the hallway, he paused in front of the door that would lead to the hallway between her house and his. He snatched the keys off of the holder on the wall and moved to unlock the door.

He paused, pulling the keys back, momentarily deciding he wasn't going over there, but then quickly changing his mind and shoving the key into the lock. He flicked on the light and tentatively made his way towards her door. His feet feeling heavy with each step he took. Searching his mind to prepare himself for what he wanted to say and mentally trying to engrain it in his brain not to stare down at her pregnant belly when she opened the door.

His mind waged an internal war with itself, and just he was about to reach up and give three swift knocks on her door, it flung open, leaving his balled fist dangling awkwardly in the air.

Carol had her clothes basket tucked underneath her free arm when she went to open the door. She'd been on her way to do a small load of laundry. Just blankets the could use freshening up and a few clothes that had gotten dirty while she'd been here. She was stunned when she opened the door and found Daryl standing behind it, fist awkwardly hanging in the air. She dropped her close basket and emitted a loud gasped that was spurred from the shock of finding him standing there like that without warning.

He put both hands up in a surrendering motion. "It's just me. I didn't mean to scare you like that."

She steadied her breathing, then shot him a hard look. "You scared the crap out of me standing there like that. Between you and Merle sneaking up on me I'm gonna pop this baby out before the end of the month."

He arched a brow at her. "When did Merle scare you?"

"Not more than two hours ago when he snuck up on me outside." She sighed. "But that's not important. What are you doing in here? I thought this was my laundry room? Don't you and Merle have one."

"Mhm. We do."

She started at him expectantly, but he didn't offer her more. "Why were you in here then?"

He scraped his bottom lip over his teeth. Now that the surprise from her scream had worn off he felt nervous and awkward again. His eyes started to dart away from where he'd been looking at hers and towards her belly, but they stopped midway. She was wearing a tank top, a revealing spaghetti strap one. One she clearly didn't have a bra on underneath, because her nipples were hard and poking through.

The other two times he'd seen her she'd had on baggier, maternity style clothes, and he hadn't paid much attention to her overall figure. He'd been too preoccupied with the fact that she was pregnant. But now, with her breasts right there in his face, threatening to spill out of what she was wearing, he couldn't not notice them. He might be shy and fumbly, but he was still a man.

"Daryl? Daryl? Daryl?" The third time she said his name she let her voice grow louder and snapped her fingers to get his attention.

It worked. Because his eyes jerked away from her breasts and up towards the ceiling. "Yeah?" He muttered, leaving his eyes locked on the spot just above the frame of the door. He could feel his cheeks flaming and his heart racing, assuming he'd just been caught red handed.

She cleared her throat and folded her arms over her chest to cover her breasts. She wasn't expecting company in her laundry room since she lived alone. She liked the luxury of walking around in something comfortable when was at home. Not many clothes felt comfortable these days, especially in the summer heat. She'd suddenly felt embarrassed when she realized what she was wearing with Daryl standing right there in front of her, but as shy as he was, she doubted he was actually paying attention to her breasts. And even if he wasn't shy, she felt like she looked like a cow these days and that no man would wanna look at her anyway. He was likely gazing at her stomach like he always did. But for modesty's sake, she felt the need to cover herself anyway. "Why are you in here?"

"I…uh…..I…..wanted to come ask you something."

"You can look at me, you know." She told him, softly. "I know what you were looking at. It's alright. You don't have to be embarrassed."

His face started to burn from the heat at this point as he slowly lowered his eyes to meet hers. "You…you do?"

She nodded. "You do it all the time. It's okay. I know that me being pregnant freaks you out for some reason."

"I…no…I wasn't looking at your..." He stopped himself. What was he going to tell her? He'd been staring at her tits? That was wrong on so many levels. She was carrying a kid for fuck's sake. And there he'd been, ogling at her boobs. She'd think he was a pig. Hell, he was. He didn't have any business looking at her like that. That's something Merle would to. He had resolve. He had self-control. He had…His eyes had slowly started to lower, involuntarily, and when he realized it he darted them back up quickly. He changed his train of thought and decided to forgo what he'd originally planned to say. "I ain't freaked out you're pregnant."

"Really?" She said, suspiciously.

"Really." He insisted.

She didn't press him any farther, though she had a hard time believing that wasn't the case based on how he acted. "If you say so." She grinned. "Now, since you're actually looking me in the eye, tell me why you're here."

He licked his lips nervously and shoved his hands in his pockets. Rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet. "My friends Rick and Lori are coming over tomorrow. Bringing supper with them. Figured you might wanna eat with us and meet them. Get to know more people in town. Lori's having a kid, too. About as far along as you. Except she's having a boy." He didn't give her time to answer before he started rambling. "I mean, you ain't gotta come if you don't wanna. It ain't no big deal. I'm sure you got plans and better things to do and.."

She cut him off. "I think it's a great idea. I'd love to."

"Yeah?" He sounded surprised, even to himself.

She smiled brightly at him. "Yeah. It'd be nice to have someone to talk to about this pregnancy with. I really appreciate you inviting me. It means a lot.

He felt pleased with himself for coming up with the idea, and he couldn't stop the full on grin that formed on his face. "Ain't nothing."

She shook her head at his dismissal. "Oh, it's something, alright." She reached down and picked up her clothes basket and a few items that had spilled out when she dropped it after he startled her. "I better wash these like I came in here for in the first place. But, uh, I'll see you tomorrow afternoon. Can I bring anything? I could bake more cookies."

"Nah, don't worry about it. Rick's handling the food. I would, but uh, we'd probably all die if the cooking was left to me. Just bring yourself."

"I can manage that." She chuckled. "What time?"

"Swing by about seven."

"Seven? Got it. It's a date."

 **(I hope people are still liking this. I'm trying hard to make things not happen too fast, but I also don't wanna move too slow either. I'm enjoying writing it and exploring the idea. Thanks for reading and reviewing.)**


	7. Chapter 7

When Merle and Daryl got home from work a little after six the next evening Daryl practically leapt out of the truck before Merle had been able to put it in park and turn it off. He made a beeline for the door, skipping straight from the bottom step to top of the small, three step brick stairway that led to the entrance of their home.

Merle, who had barely had time to switch his engine off by the time Daryl was reaching the door, was left wondering what the fuck his baby brother was in such a hurry for. He made his way out of his truck and into the house in search of Daryl to figure out what exactly was going on. But Daryl wasn't anywhere to be seen. Only his boots kicked off by the door.

With no sign of him in the dining room or living room, Merle made his way through the kitchen, then on to Daryl's room when he didn't see him in there. The bedroom door was wide open, but Daryl himself wasn't there, though his trail of dirty work clothes could be found on the floor. His Greene Welding and Industrial Services shirt was lying beside his bedroom door, a few feet away near the bed were his wrangler's, then his dirty tube socks could be found in front of the closed bathroom door. The unmistakable sound of the shower running could be heard as clear as day in Daryl's room.

It wasn't like Daryl to come home and run straight for the shower, Merle thought. He was usually tinkering around with something outside after work. Whether it was tuning up his bike or taking off in the woods for a while, he was normally doing something that meant he'd end up getting dirty. Getting a shower right after work would be pointless.

Merle walked to Daryl's bathroom door and gave a couple of swift knocks. "What the fuck are you doing? He asked, rather loudly, so he could be heard over the steady flow of water.

"The fuck you think I'm doing in here?" Daryl replied, equally as loud, with a hint of annoyance. "I'm getting a shower, dumbass."

"No shit, Darylina." Merle growled. "But why are you getting one?"

"Because I been at work all day and my fucking pits stink worse than your last girlfriend's pussy."

"She wasn't my girlfriend. I just picked her up at the bar and she gave me a blow job." He said, defensively. "And that's why I popped my head up after I went to go down on her in return and I got a whiff of that shit. I swear, it was worse than that time we put those dead alligator turtles in mama's freezer outside and it went out for a few days before we knew it."

"And she started beating you with that lamp after because you told her that." Daryl chuckled.

Merle grimaced at the memory as he recalled the pungent aroma. "Somebody needed to! That shit couldn't have been healthy." The sound of running water stopped and Merle could hear the shower curtain being pulled back.

"Ooooh that smell. Can't you smell that smell. Oooh that smell." Daryl sang, very off key and behind choked laughter, from behind the door as he toweled off. When he was dry he wrapped the towel around his waist and headed back in his bedroom to put on some clean clothes. Merle was leaning against the wall beside the bathroom door when he opened it, scowling at him. "Come on, you gotta admit, it's pretty fucking funny now. That bitch knocked your ass out with that lamp. You had to get stitches."

Merle cracked a lopsided grin and shook his head at the memory. "Pamela was fucking crazy. It's a damn shame I didn't get to hit. That was one hell of a bj." Merle watched as Daryl headed over to his closest, fingering through his wardrobe until he landed on the cleanest cut off button down shirt he had. His brows rose. "You got a hot date or something you didn't tell me about? Is that what rushing in the house and jumping in the shower was?"

His head jerked around at that. "Pffft. No. I ain't got no date."

"Really?" Merle rubbed his chin, leaning up off of the wall. "What you getting dressed up for?"

"I ain't getting dressed up. I'm just getting dressed."

"Right. Right. Getting dressed after you took a nice shower. In one of the nicest shirts you own."

Daryl didn't respond. He moved to his dresser and grabbed a clean pair of boxers, then rummaged through his jeans. He stopped once he reached the pair in the bottom of the drawer. He picked them up and examined them closely. These didn't have any large tears in them, only a small rip at the knee. They'd work. "Hey? You're still going to help Axel put those new mud tires on about seven aren't you?"

"Uh huh. I'm supposed to." He nodded, taking a few steps towards his brother. He stopped when he walked up beside him and slapped him hard on the back. "But if you don't tell me what the fuck you're up to, then I think I'll just hang around the house tonight and figure it out myself." He grinned wickedly. "And I got a feeling you don't want that to happen."

He leveled his eyes on Merle. Why did the mother fucker always have to be so damn nosey? "It's nothing. Alright? Rick and Lori are stopping by and bringing dinner. It ain't a big deal."

"Who else?"

"What?"

"Did I stutter? Who else is coming? It ain't just them or you wouldn't be worried about showering and putting something half-way decent on. Is it that partner of Rick's? The sexy one that looks like some kinda warrior princess or something? I bet she's into the whole dominatrix thing. That could be fun."

Daryl's face squinted. "Michonne? Nah. I ain't into her like that."

"Then you're fucking stupid because I'd beat that shit down." He chuckled and folded his arms over his chest. "So, it is someone you're into then?"

"I…no...I'm not.." He stammered. "I didn't say that. It's nothing like that. I just…I invited Carol over. Thought she might wanna meet Lori and Rick. Her and Lori are both…well, you know?"

Merle grew quiet, studying Daryl's face before he spoke again. When he moved to open his mouth again he let out an obnoxious laugh. "What? You got a thing for pregnant women or something? You like the idea you ain't got wrap it before you tap it?"

"Fuck off with that shit, man. That's exactly why I didn't tell you she was coming over. You always wanna start shit. Just like you did the other night when she was over. That's why I wanted to make sure you weren't gonna be here while she was tonight."

"Now, now." He slapped Daryl's cheek. "I just like busting your balls. It's fun watching you get all flustered. And don't worry, what happened the other night, it's taken care of. Trust me, there's no hard feelings between me and her." Merle looked around his room where the clothes he'd been wearing today were scattered on the floor, then cleared his throat. "You should really clean this shit up before your date. It's a mess. Women don't like that. Wouldn't look good if she let you bring her back to your room after Rick and Lori left." He turned to head out of Daryl's door, but paused when he reached the doorframe to turn and give his brother a shit eating grin. "You want me to leave you a condom just in case? I know you can't knock her up, but STD's aint no joke. Trust me."

()()()

Daryl loved his brother to death, but sometimes, like right now, he hated that son of a bitch. He knew Merle liked to fuck with him, to get inside of his head. He got some kinda thrill out of watching people squirm. He had since they were kids.

But even though Daryl knew that Merle was full of shit and had only been saying all that stuff to get a rise out of him, it didn't stop the nervous feeling that was bubbling in the pit of his stomach right now.

He was already anxious enough any time he was around. Now he wasn't sure he'd even be able to form complete sentences in front of her.

The only thing he was going to be able to think about tonight when he saw her was the explicit image that popped into his head when Merle suggested that he'd be taking her back to his room later and that maybe he should leave a condom "just in case."

His brain had started forming images of her in that tank top last night. Images of how she brushed her hand across his chest that first day he met her. False images of them completely alone in that hallway while she was wearing that tank top, her breasts bulging out of it, the smattering of freckles covering her collarbone and chest, her slowly rubbing her hands up and down his chest, looking up at him with that in invigorating smile of hers, gazing into those brilliant, blue eyes of hers as she moved her hands lower and lower and lower until they were working at his belt buckle.

Daryl shook his head, trying to dislodge the thought from his mind.

It was completely inappropriate. There's no way he had any business ever letting that scenario play out in his head. She'd probably slap him if she knew he was thinking about her like that. Hell, she probably hated men so much in general after her baby daddy walked out on her she might even consider chopping his dick off for letting himself think something like that.

He was embarrassed, ashamed of himself even, for thinking about her like that. It wasn't that he didn't find her to be an attractive woman, she was. Even before he'd noticed her body for the first time last night, he'd realized she had a pretty face. But thinking of her in that way felt wrong.

Partially because she was Hershel's niece and the man would probably string him up by his balls for even entreating that thought for a second, partially because he was one of her landlords and mixing business and pleasure was never a good idea, but a majority of the reason lied within the fact that she was pregnant and the circumstances of that pregnancy.

He'd had one night stands before. Fuck, if he was being honest, that's all he'd ever had before. He'd never been in a relationship. He'd never even really thought about being in one. The women he slept with had been a means to an end. He got what he wanted and left. And he never much cared how that left them feeling before.

But the thought of fucking Carol and walking out after, it didn't sit right with him. Not after what she'd been through. Whoever the father of her kid was, in Daryl's opinion, he'd used her enough. She didn't need him stepping in and taking advantage of her, too. And he wouldn't. No matter what twisted thought about her popped into his head. He wouldn't be that guy. Not with her.

Besides, wouldn't it be weird fucking her knowing a baby was in there? A baby that wasn't yours. Would it poke it? Would it hurt it? Could people even do that when they were pregnant?

He supposed they could. Rick said he was going to get laid after they painted his unborn son's bedroom. He knew Rick wouldn't do anything to hurt Lori or their kid. Hell, he'd even said that most pregnant women were supposed to be horny all the time. Did that mean Carol was?

Fuck! Was he thinking about screwing her again? Seriously? What the fuck was wrong with him? He'd been living with Merle too damn long.

A few steady knocks on the door that led from her apartment to his brought him out of his head and back into reality. He pulled his phone out of his pocket to check the time and saw that it was about five until seven. Apparently she was the kinda person who liked to get places early. Great. Now he was gonna have to be alone with her for a little while until Rick and Lori got here.

"Daryl? Are you home?" She called out from behind the door. "I don't see Merle's truck but I saw your bike."

"I'm here. Be right there." He hollered, loud enough so she could hear him, but not so loud he sounded angry. He walked from his room to the door and quickly unlocked it. When he saw her he inwardly groaned to himself as soon as he noticed what she was wearing.

Unlike the baggier clothes she'd been wearing, she now had on a dress. It was loose compared to what women at the bar wear, but it wasns't something a nun would wear either.

It was sleeveless, but not cut low enough in the front to show off her boobs the way the tank top had. The unmistakable baby bump was sticking out in all its glory. The dress stopped a little above the knee and showed off her legs, which is something he hadn't noticed before. It was royal blue in color, which really made her eyes stand out. She had on a pair of white sandals and her toenails and fingernails had been painted to match. She also had make-up on, which was something he hadn't seen her in yet.

"Sorry I'm early." She apologized with a sweet smile. "I just get pretty bored sitting over there by myself for most of the day. You always think that being a teacher and having summers off are going to be great, but it's not as great as it seems when everyone you know is at work. It gets a little lonely."

He didn't respond right away. He couldn't. He was transfixed with her in that moment. She looked…beautiful. His eyes weren't solely focused on her bump, even as much as the dress made it stand out, and he kept raking his eyes over her. Head to toe. Taking her in. He licked his lips, but not for the same nervous reason she'd probably grown accustomed to seeing him lick them for.

When he didn't answer and she noticed the way he was staring, running his eyes up and down her, it made her grow uncomfortable. She'd wanted to dress up since she was meeting new people and since it was something she hadn't done in a while. She'd run into town earlier and gone to the maternity store. She picked the dress out and the woman at the counter had told her she looked stunning

It made her feel pretty. She liked feeling good about herself, that's something she hadn't felt since she'd started gaining weight and discovered a few stretch marks.

Now she just felt ridiculous.

"I think I'm gonna go change." She abruptly announced, her voice a little shaky. "I'm way overdressed I shouldn't have come here like this. I'll…..I'll be right back. I look ridiculous. I don't have any business wearing a dress right now. I probably look like an Umpa Lumpa."

That got his attention and his eyes darted up to hers. Good job jackass, he thought to himself. You made her feel bad. "Stop." He muttered. "You don't look like a damn Umpa Lumpa. You don't need to change. Dress looks just fine."

"But the way you were staring at me…" She sighed. "It's alright, Daryl. You don't have to be nice so you don't hurt my feelings. I'm a tough girl. I can take it. It'll only take me a second to change. I can come back before your friends get here. It was silly of me anyway."

She was walking towards her door now and he bit his lower lip and groaned. He didn't wanna do this, but he didn't have a choice if he wanted to stop her from leaving and from feeling bad about herself. He hadn't meant to do that in the first place. "Carol, stop. I ain't just being nice. Trust me, I ain't that guy. If you look ridiculous, I'll tell you. Might not look you in the way when I tell you, but I'd tell you."

She stopped and turned to face him. Raising a brow in his direction. Like she just realized why he must have been staring at her that way, but like she still wanted clarification.

He flicked his eyes down to his boots and kicked his left foot back and forth. He was hoping she'd let it go. That she wouldn't make him say it out loud.

"Why were you looking at me like that?" She didn't let it go. Maybe it was a little selfish, but she wanted to hear it. She wanted to hear a man say that she looked nice. Despite being twenty pounds heavier than she once was. Despite the fact her belly stuck out further than her boobs these days. Despite the roundness that developed in her face. She needed to hear that someone thought she was still pretty. That a man as attractive as him thought she was pretty. And part of her felt guilty for that because she knew how timid he already was. But her own self-need took over-rode her sympathy for him right then.

"You uh…You.." He flicked his eyes up to hers briefly, then back down to his boots. He cleared his throat as he continued to swing his foot back and forth. "You look….you know?" He couldn't get the word out. He couldn't force the word beautiful out. He wanted to. But he couldn't. He'd never told a woman that before. When he was drunk he'd called them hot. Told them he wanted to fuck the shit out of them. But he'd never told one she was beautiful before.

As much as she wanted to hear him actually say the word, she wasn't going to press him farther. She could tell how hard it was for him to get that much out, and she started feeling guilty for pressing him that much to being with. He was so bashful. And he'd been nice to her so far. Taking up for her with Merle. Apologizing for his brother and then telling Merle he needed to apologize himself. Inviting her to meet his friends. It wasn't fair to make him uncomfortable to kick her own ego. Though she was going to give it one more stroke before she left him alone about it. "Yeah?" She muttered, girlishly.

He met her eyes this time, nodding slightly. "Yeah." He softly agreed, turning the brightest shade of red she'd ever seen him be.

 **(I had writer's block from hell trying to get through this chapter. I literally went back and forth with it all day. This is what I kept coming back to. Next chapter, Carol gets to meet Rick and Lori. And that may or may not go over so smoothly. I'll try to post that tomorrow, because I pretty much have it all mapped out and shouldn't have half as much problem getting it finished. In fact, that's what this chapter was supposed to be, but this tidbit wouldn't pry its way out of my mind.)**


	8. Chapter 8

Awkward silence settled between them and Daryl was more than relieved to hear knocking at his door. "That's probably Rick and Lori. I better let them in." He motioned his hand for her to step inside and she did. He headed for the door and she followed a few steps behind him.

When he pulled the door open, just as he expected, Rick and Lori we standing behind it. Rick holding a large covered dish and a small brown bag, Lori standing beside him with an eager look on her face.

"Got the food." Rick announced proudly, as he held the bag and the dish up.

"Don't worry. He didn't cook it." Lori said with a grin. She let her eyes wonder to the woman standing behind Daryl. "Aren't you gonna introduce us to your friend?"

"Yeah. Yeah. Come on in." He closed the door behind the couple as they stepped inside. He watched Rick put the food down on the dining room table, then come back and stand beside Lori, looking at him expectantly. "Uh, Carol, this is Rick and his girlfriend Lori." He turned on his heel toward her, but didn't fully anticipate how close behind him Carol was standing, and in the process, he accidently stepped on her toes. He was wearing boots and her sandals didn't offer much protection.

She yelped and went to grab her foot, which wasn't an easy task with her belly in the way.

His face paled. "Shit! I didn't mean to. I'm sorry." She was hopping around and his first thought was that she was going to accidently fall over and hurt herself or her baby. He reached and placed a hand under her arm in an effort to help steady her.

She winced and gritted her teeth through the throbbing pain. "It's okay. You didn't mean to."

Rick pulled a chair out from under the dining room table. "Here, why don't you have a seat?"

She nodded and hobbled over to the chair, Daryl still holding onto her arm in case she toppled over. When she took her seat his hand was still holding her arm. She reached up and placed her hand over his, forcing a small smile over the pain, as she met his eyes. "Thank you." She told him, sweetly.

He jerked his arm back as soon as she placed her hand over his. As if it suddenly made him aware of the fact that he'd been touching her this whole time. "Mhm." He muttered. "Welcome."

Lori had walked into the kitchen while she was getting situated in the chair and returned with a small bag of ice. "Here." She handed her the bag. This might help."

Carol waved her off. "It's fine. It's nothing."

"Honey, Daryl's got a big ass foot. You're lucky he didn't break your toes. Take the ice."

Carol rolled her eyes playfully and took the ice. "I probably shouldn't have worn this dress." She chuckled, as she tried to find a position to ice her toes without flashing her panties to everyone in the room.

"Let me help." She took the ice, but instead of bending down herself, she handed it to Daryl. Bending down sometimes made Lori light headed and dizzy these days.

Daryl arched a brow at her. Like he couldn't believe what she was suggesting.

"You did it. Now help her. I would, but you don't want two injured pregnant women on your hands." She snapped her fingers. "Go on."

"He really doesn't have to." Carol insisted. "It's fine. I don't have to have the ice. It feels bett..." Before she could finish her sentence Daryl was reluctantly getting down on bended knee. He tentatively placed the ice over her toes and felt a pang of guilt at how red they were. She jerked at first, shivering at the chill the cold ice sent through her body.

"Now, let's try this again. Maybe no one will get hurt this time." Lori smiled and extended her hand. "I'm Lori Smith and this is my boyfriend, Rick Grimes."

She shook Lori's hand and then Rick's, as both were careful not to step on Daryl as he continued to press the ice against her toes. "I'm Carol Greene."

()()()

After reintroductions, Carol grabbed the pack of ice and thanked Daryl for his help, even though he'd been the one to inadvertently cause her minor injury in the first place. He stepped into the kitchen to place the melting bag in the sink as she chatted with Rick and Lori. "Y'all wanna go ahead and eat? I can grab some plates while I'm in here." He called out.

Carol looked to Lori and Rick. "I'm ready if you two are."

"That'd be good, Daryl." Lori answered. "Thanks."

"I'll give him a hand." Rick suggested.

Moments later the two men returned. "Daryl with a stack of paper plates, plastic eating utensils, and napkins in hand. Rick holding a pitcher of tea and solo cups.

"If you have china you'd rather use I don't mind washing dishes." Lori offered.

"We ain't got none." He mumbled. "This is easier than washing dishes so we just buy disposable shit."

He sounded a little embarrassed so Carol decided to jump in. "You know? I did the same thing during the school year. I used to work with the after school program and some nights I wouldn't get home until really late. It made it a lot easier to just be able to throw my dirty dishes away."

"See, Lori, I'm not the only one that doesn't like to dishes." Rick chuckled, but quickly stopped when Lori narrowed her eyes on him.

"Wow. Me and the baby are starving. What'd you pick up Rick? Carol said in an effort to redirect and change the subject.

Rick reached across the table and pulled the top off of the covered dish. "There's a little Italian Place when you get into town. I ordered to go."

Carol felt her stomach start to churn the moment the top was off and the aroma hit her nostrils. She covered her nose and mouth to try block out the smell. "That's lasagna, isn't it?"

Rick nodded, looking perplexed. "Yeah. Should I have not gotten that?"

"I'm sorry, I just.." The churning got worse and nausea completely over took her. "She shot up out of her seat. "Daryl, where's your bathroom?"

"That door you came in, well, the door in the small hallway is my bedroom, when you get in there go to the door beside the dresser goes to the bathroom." He looked at her with concern. "You alright?"

She couldn't speak, so she just nodded. Clamping her hand tightly over her mouth, slightly limping from where he stepped on her toes, she bolted for his bathroom.

The three of them shared a look. Daryl glanced from Rick and Lori over his shoulder in the direction Carol had taken off in. He was wondering if he should go check on her, but he wasn't sure he knew her well enough to check on her while she was in the bathroom.

"Lasagna." Lori said, knowingly.

"What?" Rick asked.

"Lasagna made her feel sick. Probably because of the baby. Do you remember how sick burritos made me the first few months? If I saw one right now I'd probably still hurl just thinking about how sick they made me."

"Shit. I didn't know. I would've bought something else if I did."

Daryl was still glancing between them and over his shoulder, he'd brought his thumb up to the side of his mouth and began assaulting it. "You think I should check on her?"

"Why don't you fix her a glass of water? I'll go check on her." Lori suggested. "Bring it to me in a few minutes."

()()()

Lori knocked softly on the bathroom door. She could hear the sound of wrenching behind the closed door and she grimaced, trying to fight the urge to get sick herself. "Carol? It's Lori. Are you alright?"

Carol groaned and flushed. "I'll be fine. Sophia just really doesn't like lasagna for some reason. Which really sucks, because I loved it."

"You mind if I come in?"

"If you wanna see me puking my guts out, be my guest. I didn't lock the door, didn't have time."

Lori opened the door, slowly. Carol was wiping her mouth with a wash cloth. "Being pregnant kinda sucks sometimes, huh?"

Carol chuckled at that. "Sometimes? Whenever I laugh hard enough I have the urge to pee my pants. I've gained twenty pounds. I don't like my favorite foods anymore. I already have stretch marks. My boobs hurt. And sometimes I get so horny I think about attacking random strangers and pinning them up against the wall and having my way with them."

"You're telling me. If I bend down I want to pass out. I fart in front of Rick non-stop now, something I'd never even done before this. I also have stretch marks, some of which are on my boobs. I cry at least twice a day for seemingly no reason at all. Oh, and the being horny thing, I'm the exact opposite. Whenever Rick wants to touch me I have an undying urge to rip his hand off most days."

"Misery loves company, right? These kids better be worth it." She joked.

She soothingly rubbed a hand over Carol's back. "They damn sure better be." She grinned. "Daryl told Rick you're having a little girl?"

"Yeah." Her eyes brightened and she turned to face Lori. "I'm six months. Her name's gonna be Sophia. What about you?" She pointed to Lori's belly.

"Sophia's a pretty name. I like it. I'm a little over five months and we're having a little boy. We're gonna name him Carl."

"Carl." She repeated. "Sounds like a good strong name."

"You feel like getting up?" Carol nodded and Lori reached a hand down and helped pull her off the tile. "I'm sorry my boyfriend picked out something that made you sick. Between that and Daryl stepping on your toes I feel like we're trapped with dumb and dumber for tonight."

Carol glared at her. Feeling a little offended that she'd said something negative about Daryl, though she didn't really know him well, so she wasn't sure why she felt so protective of him. "Don't be mean. Daryl didn't mean to do that. He's just…a little awkward. There's no way Rick could have known that would make me sick. I actually thought it was really nice of Daryl to invite me over to meet you two in the first place and I thought it was sweet of Rick to volunteer to buy food."

Lori put her hands up in defense. "Honey, I was kidding. I didn't mean anything by it."

Carol blushed. "Sorry. I get over emotional these days, too."

"Hey, don't worry about. Besides, I really do kinda hate men these days for some reason. Maybe it came out meaner than I meant for it to. I don't know why, but almost everything Rick does annoys me. Do you feel like that towards the father of your child?" Lori cursed herself the moment the words left her mouth. Rick had told her that the guy skipped out on Carol and the baby. She just hadn't been thinking of it."

Carol scraped her bottom lip with her teeth and fidgeted her hands together. "I don't know. He isn't really around to annoy me for any reason in particular other than just being the son of a bitch he is."

Lori's face tinged pink. "I knew that. I just wasn't thinking about it. I shouldn't have said anything."

"It's alright. It's, um, not half as bad as the conversation I had with about him with Merle." Her eyes were a little misty and she cleared her throat and wiped at them. "I certainly don't like him, though. I'm pretty sure that won't change after Sophia's born either."

Daryl walked in the room. The bathroom door was open, so he knocked on the wall beside it. "Brought you some water." He held it out to her.

"That was sweet." She replied as she took it from him.

"Ain't no problem." He shrugged. "There's mouth wash by the sink if you need some." He chewed his bottom lip. "You, uh, you alright?"

"I'm good now. But I don't think I can be around that smell again. I'll end up right back in here. I'm sorry. Why don't the three of you have dinner without me?"

"Rick took the lasagna to his car. It ain't here no more. We made sandwiches while you two was in here. Ain't much. Just ham, mayo, and cheese on them. But I got Doritos, too. So, uh, if you wanna….you can…stay."

"You and Rick didn't have to do that." She looked over to Lori, who was shooting her an amused look. Almost as if she understood something Carol didn't. She turned back to Daryl, who was looking at her with a mix of anxiety and hopefulness. "Yeah. I'll stay. I'd like that. Just give me a few minutes in here and I'll be right out."

()()()

Carol washed her mouth out several times with water and then rinsed it with mouth wash. She didn't have much of an appetite anymore, but she was going to try and eat something since Daryl and Rick had gone to the trouble of making something else so she could eat. She couldn't believe she hurled. She hadn't done that in months.

They all fell into conversation at the table, nothing heavy, just general questions getting to know one another.

"So, you're the sheriff?" Carol asked, looking to Rick.

"Deputy, actually." He corrected. "But hopefully one day I'll be running this town." He glanced at Lori. "She's a dispatcher. That's actually kinda how we met."

"Aw! That's sweet that you met at work. Do you mind if I ask how long you've been together?"

Lori looked up, trying to recall the exact date in her head. "It'll be a year in two weeks."

"Well, in case I don't see you again, happy early anniversary." She told them, taking a sip of her tea.

"Oh, no. You'll be seeing me again. You have to show me where you got that gorgeous dress of yours at."

"It was at that boutique on the corner of Fifth. I think the lady said she just opened up. There's tons of cute maternity stuff in there. I'd be glad to go with you sometime. I'm getting so big I need a whole new wardrobe anyway."

Lori reached into her pocket and pulled out a phone, then handed it across the table to Carol. "Put your number in. I'll call you and we'll set up a day to go next week if you're free."

Carol started typing and snorted. "I'm pretty much free until August." She handed the phone back when she was done.

"You're a teacher aren't you?" Rick said.

"Yeah. I am. Language Arts, actually."

"What grade?"

"Here, I'll be teaching high schoolers, 10th graders. At my old school, I worked mostly with middle schoolers."

"You must have a lot of patience." He chuckled.

"For the most part I'd like to think that I do. You know? I think teaching is just one of those things you have to be called to do. I'm sure law enforcement is the same way. It's not meant for everyone. You have to have a fair amount of patience to work in that field, too. If you're a good cop, anyway."

()()()

The group continued on in conversation until it got dark, Lori and Rick finally excused themselves, saying they needed to get home since they both had to work tomorrow.

Carol was glad Daryl had invited her over. Lori and Rick seemed nice and she could see herself falling into an easy friendship with the woman. She looked forward to going shopping with her sometime soon.

They'd all moved to the living room at some point and she was left sitting on the couch with just her and Daryl. He'd talked some tonight, much more than he had when it was just the two of them and Merle, but now that his friends left he'd grown quiet again. She figured it would probably be best to go ahead and get home. After all, he had work tomorrow, too.

They'd both been staring at the TV the last few minutes, though she hadn't really been paying attention to what was on. She turned to face him so she could tell him she was leaving. "I should probably get going, too. It's late."

He stopped looking at the TV and faced her. "Alright. You can use the same door you came in if you want."

They both stood up and he walked with her to the door so he could lock it behind her. When they reached the door, he swiped a hand over his face and sighed. "I'm a dumbass." She arched a brow and he explained. "About the lasagna and stepping on your toe."

"Look, please, don't even worry about it. You didn't mean to crush my poor little toes." She smirked. "And there's no way you or Rick could have known that would make me sick. I should have given you a warning list called foods my unborn child despises and that will make her mommy hurl. I'll be sure to next time." He gave her a half smile that sent her into a full blown one. "It's really alright, Daryl. I had a good time tonight. I liked hanging out with you and your friends. They seem like good people."

"They are." He agreed.

"Well, I guess I'll see you around then. Goodnight, Daryl"

He rubbed the back of his neck. He thought about asking her to come over again sometime this week. She could have pizza with him, assuming that didn't make her sick. He thought about telling her she could feel free to stop by anytime she got bored. It wasn't like he had a bubbling social life that kept him busy after work.

But he probably wouldn't have much to say to her if she did come over and they'd just end up sitting in silence. Besides, it's not like she'd wanna hang out with it being just the two of them anyway. Fuck, he didn't even know why he wanted to hang out with her if it was just them. It's not like they could possibly have much in common.

And despite the inappropriate image that swirled around in his head for a brief moment earlier, he knew it couldn't ever happen for a whole host of reasons. It was for the best if they just casually ran into each other now and then. There wasn't a reason for them to spend a lot of time together. She seemed to hit it off with Lori and that was his whole reason for inviting her over tonight to begin with. "Night, Carol." He replied, though as she walked away he couldn't help but regret not saying more and wondering when the next time he would see her would be.


	9. Chapter 9

It was Saturday now, and other than for a few brief run ins where she was coming or he was going, Carol hadn't seen Daryl since they had dinner at his place with Rick and Lori Tuesday evening. She couldn't help but feel a little disappointed at that fact, though she knew it was ridiculous to let herself feel that way about it at all.

Daryl was a single, childless man, probably a few years younger than she was, though she didn't really know how old he was. He had a baby face, if she had to guess, she'd say he was probably only twenty-four or twenty-five. To even expect him to want to hang around a thirty-year old, single mom-to-be sounded absurd, even in her own head.

She couldn't even really pinpoint why she'd been the least bit hopeful that the two of them would strike up some sort of friendship in the first place. He was obviously an extremely quiet, reserved person. She'd learned that from the little time she'd spent with him so far. It also seemed that he liked to keep to himself for the most part from what she'd observed.

Most evenings when he and his brother got off work, she'd noticed Merle would take off in his truck, venturing off to who knows where. But Daryl was different. He didn't seem to leave the house too often.

She'd learned in casual conversation with Lori on the phone the other night while they were discussing what day would be best to go maternity shopping together, that the one evening she had heard his bike rev up and leave the yard, he'd been going off to meet Rick. The two were going on a late evening fishing trip down at the creek under the bridge that led into town.

Other than that, most days, he seemed to come home and head straight for the woods or the metal shed the was located behind their house. Doing, what, she had no clue. But that's where she'd see him disappear to sometimes.

Not that she was paying that much attention to him or anything. It wasn't like she was stalking him or overly concerned with where he was or what he was doing. When you lived within that close of proximity to someone it was almost impossible not to know what they were doing. She noticed Merle not being home often just as much as she noticed the fact that Daryl was.

Though, she did have to admit, she was a little curious about the younger Dixon. She couldn't help that she wondered what could make two brothers so very different.

Merle was confident, brazen even. There was nothing shy about that man at all, and she was certain that the man didn't have a shameful bone in his body. At first, she wasn't sure she was going to like him after the way that he'd acted that first night she played cards with both boys and he asked her all of those personal questions. He seemed like a class A jackass in her opinion.

But when he'd come to her and somewhat apologized the next day, explaining that was just his personality and he didn't mean anything by it, she'd developed a certain respect for him. He wasn't trying to be malicious or hurtful, he just really hadn't known he was being inappropriate. Aside from his bluntness, he seemed like an okay person.

But Daryl, he was a different person entirely. He was apprehensive. Almost jumpy even. Painfully shy and awkward. In a way, it was slightly adorable and strangely endearing.

She hadn't met too many grown men like that. Sure, over the years, she'd had many adolescent students with personalities like that. Struggling to come to terms with who they were and where they fit in with the world. Boys in particular, who were unconfident and gangly, especially the ones who hadn't hit puberty as soon as some of their more developed peers.

But Daryl wasn't some pre-pubescent boy. He was a grown man, and an extremely attractive one that. Sun-kissed skin. Toned biceps. Well-defined features. Stunning blue eyes. She couldn't find a single physical reason for his lack of confidence.

But that only left her wondering if the way he was spurred from something depper beneath the surface. Something you wouldn't ever be able to tell just from looking at him.

She'd been trained to pick up on warning signs of abuse in her students. Physical, emotional, sexual. As a teacher, she'd had an ethical and moral obligation to report such things if you had any reason to suspect that they were going on.

Even though she didn't know Daryl well, she could easily assign a few characteristics of someone who'd suffered some form of abuse to him. Withdrawn. Isolated. Anxious. Lack of self-confidence/self-esteem. There could be more that she didn't know about, but these were just a few easy ones she could pick up on from her minimal time around him.

But it wasn't really fair of her go around assigning labels to him or making assumptions about him when she didn't have anything concrete to base the assumptions on, other than a limited knowledge of his behavior.

And it wasn't her job to analyze the man either. He wasn't her student, he wasn't a child. She didn't have some moral or ethical obligation to seek out help or protection for him. And from the looks of him, he didn't need anyone to look out for or protect him, anyway. He was more than capable, physically, of doing that himself.

Besides, maybe there wasn't anything to it. Maybe he was just one of those people who suffered from severe social anxiety. Maybe he'd just been born that way and it was something he couldn't help. It would likely make the most sense when she took Merle's confident personality into account. They'd probably been raised quite similarly. Had many of the same experiences. If Daryl experienced abuse or some type of traumatic situation, Merle would have most likely gone through the same thing. Wouldn't he be just as shy and reserved as Daryl if he had?

She shook her head, trying to push her over analysis of the Dixon brother's out of her mind. She'd let her mind linger on the youngest Dixon ever since she met him far more than she was comfortable admitting.

There wasn't a specific reason she could come up with for why her mind wandered to him so often. Sure, she was undeniably sexually attracted to the man. And as much as she'd like to blame that attraction on her hormones, she had to admit that she'd still find him appealing, even if she wasn't pregnant and insanely horny all the time. How could someone not notice how gorgeous he was?

Not that she was fool enough to think anything would ever come of it. She didn't feel like she was very attractive herself these days, even if he'd been staring at her in the dress and pretty much admitted he'd been checking her out, after she really let herself think about it, she found it hard to believe he found her sexually appealing right now.

He was more than likely impressed with how dressed up she was compared to the other times he'd seen her. Maybe he realized she'd be beautiful if she wasn't she wasn't carrying all that extra weight. But she doubted he'd had a sudden revelation that he'd like to bend her over the kitchen table anytime soon.

And it wasn't like she expected him to suddenly decide he wanted her once the baby was born either. Who was really going to want the baggage of screwing around with a single mom? Hang on Daryl, let me pull my daughter off my tit for a second, wipe the drool and vomit off of shirt, then put her down for a nap so we can fool around. That didn't exactly translate to sexy talk.

Plus, who knew how long it would take for her body to return too normal after giving birth? If it ever would. She was pretty sure she'd never get rid of the stretch marks that had appeared, seemingly overnight. What man would want to look at a body like that when he could go out and get some hot, young woman with an untainted body who wasn't carrying around the baggage of a tiny human being they were responsible for?

She snorted at the thought that popped into her head just then. Shy, awkward Daryl trying to pick spit game to a woman. Somehow, she had trouble imaging that. He couldn't even look her in the eye, how would be ever be able to have sex with a woman, let alone her. It seemed completely ridiculous to imagine a grown man being a virgin, and it wasn't likely that he was, but she had a difficult time envisioning him getting up the nerve to make a move on anyone.

Good Lord! What in the world was wrong with her? Why was she obsessing so much about him? About his sex life? He was her neighbor. Her landlord. She didn't have a bit of damn business thinking these things.

Hell, her libido shouldn't even be this high right now. After everything with Ed, she should hate men in general. The idea of having sex should repulse her, like it seemed to do Lori. She shouldn't be entertaining silly fantasies or notions about some man she barely knew. The poor guy would probably be appalled to know she had such thoughts.

She sipped her cup of ice water and brought her legs up on the couch, curling them underneath her. She let her mind continue down it's rabbit trail about Daryl Dixon. This strange draw to him wasn't strictly sexual in nature. Whether it was only curiosity about him, a need for new friendship in her life, or some want for reliable male companionship of someone who wasn't a relative, she couldn't put her finger on it.

All she did know, was that she genuinely did wish she could get to know the man better. That she had some strange craving to be around him and find out all she could about him.

Not that she thought of this new craving for him was in a romantic way. The last thing she needed on her plate was to jump into a relationship, not like he'd even want that. But on some off chance he did, she wasn't exactly in the place for all of that right now, regardless. She had her daughter to think about. Sophia was going to be her top priority.

But that didn't mean she couldn't want to be friends with Daryl. There was nothing wrong with having a friend of the opposite sex, even if you had a child.

He seemed to have all of these impenetrable walls up, ones she was sure he had no intention of letting anyone crack, yet despite them, he'd shown her such kindness since the moment he met her. There was a layer of compassion underneath him, he was a good person, an honorable person, she could see that much. And she really would love to find out what other sides to him there were that most people who met him probably had no idea existed behind all of his quirkiness.

()()()

Carol's mind had been in over-drive all day. Between all of her thoughts about the Dixon boys, doing research trying to find the best OB/GYN in town, worrying about who she was going to con into helping her set up her classroom in a few weeks (she couldn't lift all of the heavy boxes by herself and she probably shouldn't be scaling ladders right now), and some slight anxiety she was feeling about starting a job at a new school, working with an age group she wasn't accustomed to, it was safe to say she wanted to clear her head.

That's why she'd decided to go for walk that evening. Even though it was later in the day, it was still sweltering outside. In addition to the heat, the humidity was severe, making it almost unbearable to be outside during the earlier afternoon hours. She wouldn't have even attempted to walk outside then.

She'd heard the sound of lawnmower earlier and had peaked out the window to see which brother had been crazy enough to venture out in the blistering sun. She wasn't all that surprised to see it had been Daryl. Merle didn't strike her as the type to do yard work. She had a feeling when he wasn't at his regular job, he was all about playing and that he didn't care to be bothered with the upkeep a house brought along with it. In fact, now that she thought about it, Merle's truck had even been gone when she peaked out the window, much like it had been most of the week.

She grabbed a half frozen bottle of water out of her freezer to take on her walk with her. She didn't know how long she was planning on being gone, but she didn't exactly have anywhere else to be. So, she wanted to make sure she stayed hydrated for the baby's sake.

Carol was a little excited about exploring her neighborhood. Maybe she'd run into a neighbor outside and introduce herself. Maybe she'd even end up knowing some of their neighbors from when she lived here growing up.

She was walking out of her door and about to start on her walk when she paused on her back deck. The sight of Daryl in the yard caught her eye. He had a pair of hedge trimmers in hand, clipping away at the bushes surrounding the back of the house. He was dripping with sweat, the back of his red shirt was soaked, turning it a burgundy color, and his hair was slick. She watched as he stopped and wiped his brow, then quickly turned his attention back to the task at hand. He hadn't seemed to hear her open her door and step outside.

Her own brow furrowed watching him. He'd likely been outside working in this heat all day. Sweating like a pig while his brother was probably out doing whatever the hell he wanted. She peered at the water bottle she was clutching in her own hand, condensation already forming on her palm. She glanced back at Daryl, then down at her water bottle, nodding her head decisively.

Step by step, she quietly approached him from behind. "Daryl?" He didn't answer and she repeated herself. "Daryl?" When he still didn't seem to acknowledge her, she tapped his shoulder, knowing he was probably going to flinch, since he'd displayed an aversion to her touch on several occasions.

The unexpected tap on his shoulder had Daryl dropping his hedge trimmers and swirling around defensively. His phone had been in his pocket and he'd been listening to music as he worked in the yard, ear buds placed strategically in his ears. He hadn't heard anyone approaching. When he saw it was only Carol, his tension eased and he let out a loud sigh, pulling his ear buds from his ears. "You trying to pay me back for scaring the shit out of you?" He mumbled.

She pointed to her ears and smiled at him. His reaction hadn't been quite as intense as she was expecting. "I didn't see those in your ears. I called your name and you didn't answer. I was just trying to get your attention."

Music was still loudly blaring from his ear buds and he pulled his phone out and paused it. "Couldn't exactly hear you." He looked up at her slowly, his eyes on briefly catching her protruding belly, he raised his brows at her. "What's up?"

"I just saw you working out and here and noticed you looked really hot…" She paused, realizing how that must have sounded, but he must not have because he didn't turn beet red like she was expecting him to. "And I uh…" She held out the water bottle to him. "I just thought you might be thirsty."

His eyes took in the bottle of water and he readily took it, greedily guzzling it down. When he tore it away from his lips, droplets splashed causing him to wipe his mouth. "Thanks." He muttered. "It's hotter than the tip of the devil's dick out here."

She snorted and grinned at him mischievously. "You have a lot of experience with that?"

"Trimming hedges? Yeah Merle and me did some landscaping for a few months once."

She shook her head, still grinning. "Not that. The tip of dicks."

His cheeks flushed redder than she'd even seen anyone turn before and flicked his eyes to the ground. "Stop it."

"Sorry. But you set yourself up for that one." She held up her hands. "I'll talk like a lady, I promise."

He slowly lifted his eyes again. Silence settling between them and him feeling a strange, unfamiliar need to fill it. He'd been looking for an excuse to talk to her again all week. Now she'd given him one by coming up to him. He was going to make the most of it. "What were you doing out here?"

"I told you, bringing you something to drink."

"Nah, before that. You said you was coming out here and saw how hot I looked. Were you going somewhere?"

"Actually, I was..." She stopped herself, pressing a finger to her lips. She could tell him she was going on a walk and then she'd have to end this conversation and just go on a walk. But she wasn't quite ready to do that just yet. A better idea popped into her head. "You know? I was actually coming to ask if you wanted to eat dinner with me."

He looked at her quizzically.

Oh shit. Did that just sound like she was asking him on a date? Did she just make a complete fool of herself? She needed to fix this, now! "To say thanks for inviting me over to eat with you and Rick and Lori the other night." She added, quickly. "And for being so nice to me and going to all the trouble of making those sandwiches for me after I puked my guts out in your bathroom. It's the least I can do, really."

He brought his thumb up to the side of his lip and went to work in what was left of his nail. "You ain't gotta do that. Wasn't no trouble."

"I want to." She insisted. And that was the truth, she really did want to do something nice to repay for him his kindness. She should have thought of this before.

He glanced at his shirt and jeans. His own eyes caught sight of his arms. There was grime and dust covering every inch of him. He was filthy. "You probably don't want me coming over looking like this."

"No, it's fine." She caught the uncertain look he was shooting her. "Really." She tried to assure him. "I don't mind it if you're a little dirty." Oh, fuck. There was one of those things that could be taken as an innuendo again. Luckily, he once again hadn't seemed to pick up on it.

"Alright." He shrugged, chewing his thumb so hard it looked like he might bite it off.


	10. Chapter 10

**I hope you guys are still enjoying this one. Here's the next installment.**

Daryl went and put his hedge trimmers up in the storage building behind the house and followed Carol up the steps. There was a strange, unfamiliar flutter taking place in the put of his stomach as he mounted each step that would lead them to her front door and into her house.

Many times over the last few days Daryl had ran into her before he was leaving for work or just as he'd be getting home. Each and every time he'd felt an urge to talk to her. Maybe ask her how her day was going. Once, he'd even considered inviting her to go to Lori and Rick's with him. In the end, however, he hadn't. He'd fought that urge like it was something that would kill him if he followed through with it.

He'd simply settled for offering shy waves in her direction, miniscule "hello's or "see you later's" as they passed by one another. And each time it elicited an internal battle within him. Making him ponder why he hadn't said more, before quickly reminding himself it was for the best.

But now that she'd been the one to invite him over, the one to initiate this contact between them, he found himself eager to spend time with her. That anxious feeling that often plagued him and he'd grown so accustomed to living with lingered in his bones, yet it was mixed with a peculiar excitement at the thought of being around her. Which was bizarre enough in itself, because he wasn't really big on hanging around people. Rick and Lori, sometimes Glenn and Maggie, Merle's friends here and there, but definitely not a situation where he was a lone with a woman.

Not unless you counted a few of rare times he was feeling social enough to go out and grab a few drinks until he was comfortable enough to pick up some random woman that would give him the time of day to let him fuck her. But even then, he was eager to get the hell out of their once the deed was done. Never bothering to hang around for any awkward conversation that might result afterwards.

He wasn't fool enough to think that whatever conversation, if much at all, transpired between them today wouldn't carry a hint of uncomfortability with it. Of course it would. It was always like that for him with new people. It didn't help that he happened to find her physically attractive, despite being six months pregnant with another mans child, or that she seemed to make up the very definition of unattanble to him. But somehow, for whatever unimaginable reason, he found he didn't care. Not today.

He forced himself to calm his nerves as they stepped into her small kitchen. He'd just end up saying something stupid or staring at her or her bellylike a jackass if he didn't force himself to bury some of that tension he always seemed to carry with him.

His eyes scanned the room, offering a brief distraction from the whirlpool that was his own mind. He couldn't help noticing how homey she'd made the place look compared to the dull, empty white room it had been when she moved in.

Nick Nacks in the shape of small animals were splayed all around. Brightly colored fruit and vegetable shapes hanging on the walls. A large spice rack, filled to the brim, rested on the corner of the counter. Intricately carved cutting boards hung from the walls. Glass oil and vinegar dispensers resting on the counter. A cake holder with freshly made pound cake, missing a single slice, was on the counter next to the toaster. A small, marble laminate dining table was placed on the far end of the kitchen. And the stainless steel refrigerator was covered with pictures which were being held in place by magnets.

Daryl took a step forward to inspect the pictures. A much younger, child version of Maggie and Beth could be seen standing next to Carol, who was also a great deal younger, probably late teens. She was sporting head a head full of curly, auburn hair. She was wearing a flowing, strapless violet dress that had a split in the front, exposing her long legs.

"That was a long time ago." Carol commented, noticing how he was staring at the picture. "My senior prom."

He snapped his eyes away from the picture at the sound of her voice. "You're hair was really long." He muttered, it was the first thing that seemed to pop into his head.

She swept a hand over her short, pixie cut and chuckled. "Some days I miss it being that long. Other days, I remember how untamable it gets, especially in the humidity, and I remind myself it's so much easier to deal with now. I'm sure I looked better with it longer, but I've always been the type of person that prefers being comfortable to being...sexy? I guess that's how you'd say it."

Part of him wanted to tell her that it looked just fine like it was. That he thought she was damn pretty just like she was, but he wasn't that bold. And she might not wanna hear him say that. He'd told her that once, more or less, when she was in that maternity dress. She would probably think he was some sort of weirdo if he said it again.

He decided to change the subject. It seemed like the safest route. "Merle's hair gets pretty damn curly if he don't keep it buzzed." He put his hands above his head for emphasis. "Shit looks like he put his finger in a light socket it he lets it grow out."

She smiled, trying to image his brother with a head full of hair, but somehow she couldn't quite seem to picture it.

Her smiling at him like that made his stomach do a strange flip flop. Something he wasn't used to feeling, and he didn't like it, because he didn't know what it meant, so he darted his eyes to back to the refrigerator. They landed on the top left corner, where a pink magnet that spelled out "Sophia" in cursive was being used to hold a grainy, black and white picture in place.

He squinted to get a better glimpse. He could make out the shape of a head and a small body. One hand was resting in front of the face and it looked like the thumb was being sucked.

"That's Sophia." Carol told him, softly. "It's a sonogram picture from two weeks ago."

"I know." He grunted. She likely assumed he hadn't known what it was, from his seemingly bare knowledge of pregnant women and his fidgety nature any time he was around her. But Rick had a similar picture of his unborn boy that stayed in his truck, resting in front of the odometer. And each time he and Lori were given new sonogram photos Rick was eager to show them off to Daryl. Particularly the last one that had showed they were having a boy. "Rick and Lori have a bunch of them. Rick's always shoving them under my nose whenever he gets a new one."

"He's really excited. I could tell the other night. The way he talked about his unborn son. He's going to be a good father."

She'd said it as a compliment, but her voice came out a little strained, and Daryl didn't miss the change in her eyes when he looked over at her. The lightness she'd been carrying in them had fleeted and was replaced with something else. Anger? Disappointment? Sadness? Regret? He wasn't really sure. Whatever it was, it made him feel a flash of anger at her child's father. Anger at a man he didn't know. A man he'd probably never know.

His eyes veered back to the photo of the unborn child. He'd never been big on the idea of having a child. It seemed like a huge commitment, one he wasn't sure he would ever be ready to make. One he wasn't sure he would ever be prepared, or even equipped, for. But he'd like to think that if he'd been unwillingly fated to that destination, if a condom would have broken one ill fated night or one of his boys would have escaped, he'd like to think he would have manned up and done the right thing. He probably wouldn't have forced himself to be with the kid's mama, but he would have been there for the kid. He would have helped the kid's mama, even if he wasn't with her.

Because he'd honestly never seen something as innocent as that picture looked right now. Sophia sucking her thumb as she rested in her mama's womb. She was a blank slate. No knowledge of how shitty this world she was coming into could be. No knowledge of how shitty and cold people, even ones that were your blood, could be.

And even though it wasn't his problem, and he shouldn't be worried about it at all, he couldn't help be bothered by how unfair it was that her daddy had skipped out on her. He couldn't help but think that this kid, this unborn kid, deserved better. That the woman standing next to him, the soft spoken, pretty, sweet woman deserved better.

He chewed at the inside of his lip as he forced his eyes to meet hers. "Think you'll make a fine mama yourself." He mumbled. Hoping to give her some words of encouragement. Some hope to push back whatever emotion she was feeling.

She seemed surprised by his comment, but it made the corner of her lip turn up, and her heart swelled a bit. "Thank you, Daryl. I hope you're right."

He swayed his foot back and forth, causing the heel of his boot to scrub the tile, a squeaking sound filling the room. His heart hammered behind his chest as a need to say more encompassed him. But it was fighting with his overwhelming need to keep his mouth shut like normal. To stop himself from saying something foolish. Something he'd regret. Somehow, the former need managed to take control of his regular insecurities and his lips started moving. "You'll be just fine. It takes a hell of a woman to do that. You know? Raise a kid on her own. Your little girl, she's gonna respect the hell out you for it one day. Shit, she'll probably end up being one tough bitch because of it if you ask me."

Maybe she should have been offended that he'd just referred to her unborn child as "one tough bitch" but she understood that he hadn't meant it negatively or in any derogatory sense. He'd just given her and her untested parenting skills a compliment, and it made her feel good, because sometimes she felt a little scared to think about how Sophia would eventually feel about not having her father in her life. About all the ways she might go wrong being a single mother.

It also made her a little uneasy at how much this man's words seemed to mean to her and effect her mood. She didn't know him well enough for those words to bring about such a strong reaction in her. Yet, they did. She cleared her throat, trying to push away everything bubbling just beneath the surface of her mind. "That's very sweet of you to say." She pointed to his grimy arms. "You know? Um..Why don't? Why don't you go wash up while I get dinner ready?"

He looked down at his dust covered arms and his brow furrowed. He really should have insisted that he go change before he came over here. He didn't even wanna think about what he smelled like right now. He'd forgotten to put deodorant on this morning before working in the yard. And whenever he did that, for some reason, his pits ended up smelling like that dank weed Merle smoked.

His brother loved the smell. He said that's how you knew it was good shit. Daryl didn't care for it. That shit was rank and the scent lingered in the house long after Merle was done smoking.

He nodded his head at her, to let her know he agreed that cleaning up was a good idea.

"Bathroom's the first door on your..." She stopped herself, blushing furiously. "Never mind. You already know that. You're the one that gave me the grand tour."

Her cheeks were flaming red, it seemed to make the blue in her eyes stand out even more, and he couldn't help but think she was cute when she was embarrassed. What the fuck? Did he just think that she was cute? That word wasn't even in his vocabulary. And on top of that, why the fuck did he care so much if he was dirty and smelly? He spent most of his life in those two states. It never bothered him before. What in the hell was she doing to him?

This time he was the one to clear his throat. "I'll uh...I'll be right back."

()()()

When Daryl stepped out of the kitchen to go wash up, Carol was suddenly hit with the realization that she actually didn't have anything cooked for either of them to her haste and excitement to invite him over, it hadn't occurred to her that she hadn't even started on dinner.

Hell, she hadn't even taken anything out to get started. Not that she didn't have plenty to eat, she did. Her refrigerator was stocked. She enjoyed cooking. Even if it was just her, she normally made sure to prepare herself a full meal. It occupied her mind, as well as her time. Plus, it made her think of her own mother. They used to spend hours together in the kitchen, baking and trying new recipes. It made her feel close to her.

Carol's freezer was stocked with frozen meats. Pork chops, chicken, cube steak. Those would offer a wide variety of meal options. But it would take forever for them to thaw and she didn't exactly know how to entertain Daryl for that long while they waited.

She opened her refrigerator, vigorously scanning it for left overs she could serve up for tonight's meal. But she came up with nothing. Knowing it was just her here, she hadn't exactly been serving up heaping amounts of food each night.

The sound of the water cutting off and Daryl's foot steps heading back towards the kitchen had her muttering curse words under her breath. She could admit she'd been lonely and in the mood for company and just hastily invited him over without bothering to prepare food for them both. But she wondered how that would sound?

Would he take that as her assuming this was some type of date? That her saying she was lonely meant she needed a man in her life? Would he think she was looking for a husband? Would he think she was looking for a father for her child? She didn't wanna scare him off, especially since she was really only seeking his friendship.

She decided to try and play it off the best she could. She closed her refrigerator and turned to to face. Giving him a light, friendly smile. "Now that you're back, I wanted to see what you'd like for dinner. My treat, whatever you want, tell me and it's yours."

He pursed his lips, looking up, as if pondering what to chose. Finally, he looked back at her, his voice as serious as it could be. "Lasagna would be good."

Carol could feel herself growing nauseous from his suggestion, the aroma of the lasagna Rick had intended them to eat for dinner filled her brain and a scent she knew wasn't there seemed to waft to her nose. She gaped at him, wondering if he'd forgotten how she'd botled for his bathroom only days ago while in the presence of that particular food.

The faint curl of his lip, resulting in that signature tight, closed lip grin of his let her know he did indeed remember, and that his suggestion had been his attempt at a joke. Daryl Dixon was capable of joking with her? Who knew? She shook her head at him, disapprovingly, yet unable to hide the hint of amusement she was feeling. "You must have a thing for getting me on my knees and making me gag?" She teased back.

Daryl's eyes grew wide as saucers, and the slight grin he'd been sporting faded. He was clearly taken back from her quip. His faced turned as red as the shirt he was wearing and he violently shook his head and started stammering. "I...I'm not...I didn't..."

She chuckled at him. So much for not trying to scare him off, she supposed. "You can joke and I can't? That's not a very fair relationship." She saw the almost terrified look that lingered on his face and quickly corrected herself. "Friendship. It's not a very fair friendship."

He looked at her curiously, tilting his head to the side. "That what we are? Friends?"

"I'd like for us to be." She boldly admitted, an unexpected confidence surging through her. "I mean, maybe that sounds strange, maybe it doesn't make sense, but I think I'd like to consider you a friend. . Because, from what I can tell and what I've heard from Uncle Hershel and the rest of my family, you seem like a really good person. A person I'd really like to get to know better. Believe it or not, good people are kinda hard to come by these days."

Good people were hard to find, he thought to himself. People he liked and could tolerate to be around were even fucking harder to find. Yet, somehow, she seemed to fit both categories. "I ain't usually too big on friends." He admitted, shyly. "Kinda a loner if you ain't noticed." He watched her face fall and realized he'd started off completely wrong. He fumbled in an effort to correct himself."But uh...yeah...yeah...friends is good. You ain't so bad yourself. Me and you...we can be friends if you want that...think I'd like that."


	11. Chapter 11

**I know I said this wouldn't be long compared to most of my stories, and I'm still not planning for it to be** ** _that_** **long, but I do have a feeling it's going to be a little longer than I originally intended, in order for the characters to get the development they deserve. I hope that's okay with you guys. I'll keep tossing the chapters out as I have time. Thanks for reading!**

Carol finally settled on a quick meal to cook them both. She'd gotten Daryl to toss out ideas of foods he liked, though he'd shyly kept insisting that she could cook whatever she liked and that she didn't have to cater to whatever he wanted. She knew she didn't, but still, she didn't know whether or not he was a picky eater and she didn't wanna go to the trouble of cooking something he wouldn't even like.

He'd mentioned liking steaks, hamburgers, fried chicken, pork chops, ribs, and bacon off the top of his head. She didn't have steaks or ribs, though she did have some frozen chicken and pork chops, but those would have taken far too long to thaw out. What she did have, however, was bacon. She was a breakfast person, even though she lived alone most of her adult life and it would have been easier to suffice for cereal or a granola bar, she almost always made sure she had a hot meal each morning. Because of that, she had a freshly opened pack of bacon resting in the bottom of her refrigerator.

She decided to use that bacon to make them BLT's. She had fresh tomatoes, straight from Hershel's garden, a loaf of bread and a head of lettuce she'd bought right after she moved in. It was something quick and simple that wouldn't take long to prep. And Daryl let out a satisfied grunt at the suggestion, so she considered it a win.

She'd also taken the time to fry up some French Fries, just to make sure they both got their bellies full with the meal. It might not have been the healthiest idea for a meal, but it was a tasty one.

He'd quietly sat at the table while she cooked. Most of the times she glanced over her shoulder he was fidgeting with his hands or kicking his feet back and forth under the table. Occasionally, she'd catch him watching her, only to glance away once he realized she'd noticed. She'd smile to herself when she'd turn around and focus back on the food, unable to stop herself from finding his awkwardness strangely adorable.

"Dinner is served." She announced with a sweet smile, as she scooped the last bit of French Fries out of the cast iron frying pan and onto a ceramic plate. She moved to grab two more plates out of the cabinet beside the stove and started fixing their plates."

Daryl stood up from his place at the table and walked beside her, putting a hand on one of the plates. "I got mine."

She gave him a funny look. "It's fine. I don't mind fixing your plate. You're a guest."

He firmly shook his head. "I got mine." He insisted.

She kept her eyes on his, trying to pinpoint his reasoning. But he quickly looked away and started heaping his plate with food and she decided to go to work on her own plate.

"You got any of those cheese slices?" Daryl asked, as he put together his BLT.

She raised a brow at him. "You put cheese on your BLT?"

"Uh huh." He nodded. "Don't really cook myself, but I can manage sandwich stuff. Sometimes I toss bacon in the microwave, throw some bread in the toaster, then make a sandwich out of it and load it down with cheese. It's good."

The idea wasn't something that sounded like she'd normally like, but the thought made her mouth water. She was going to chalk that up to the pregnancy. She walked to the refrigerator and grabbed two slices of American cheese. She gave him one and unwrapped the other for herself.

"You trying it?" He asked.

"What can I say? I'm pretty adventurous. I like to live on the wild side." She teased.

He hummed at that and the corner of his lip turned up. He followed her to the table.

()()()

She took a bite of her crispy, cheesy sandwich, not fully sure of what to expect. Sure it smelled good, but it didn't mean it would taste good or that it would agree with the baby. It turned out, Daryl had been right about adding the cheese. "Mmmm! Oh my God! This is delicious."

"Told you it was damn good." Daryl mumbled with a full mouth of food that he didn't bother to cover.

She took another bite, savoring the taste. "I love it. Or Sophia loves it. I don't even know which right now. Either way, it's hitting the spot." When she looked up, his sandwich was gone and he was licking melted cheese off of his thumb. "You're finished with your sandwich already?" She gasped, amazed at how quickly he'd wolfed it down.

He shrugged. "Was a damn good sandwich. Better than the ones I make."

"Do you want me to cook you another one?" She offered.

"Nah." He dipped a fry in ketchup and popped it into his mouth. "Still gotta finish these. I'm fine."

()()()

"Your brother doesn't stay home very often does he?" Carol commented, as the two continued eating. They'd been casually chit-chatting, or she'd been casually chit-chatting was a better way of putting it. He answered when she asked a question. He didn't seem to have many questions for her.

Merle? Why the fuck was she asking about Merle? What did she care if he was home or not? "Not really." He muttered, popping another fry into his mouth. "He's been a little...busy this week."

"Oh. Does he have a second job or something?"

He stopped chewing and swallowed his fry while it was still practically still whole. Studying her carefully. Is that why she wanted to be friends with him? To find out more about his brother? He wouldn't assume she would be in any position to want a romantic relationship with anyone right now. Was she trying to hook up with someone and thought Merle would be a good candidate because she knew he was promiscuous? "Nah. He's busy with his favorite fuck buddy. She just got back in town from vacation." He abruptly blurted out, with a certain gruffness to his tone.

"Favorite?" She asked with a smirk. "He really does get around a lot doesn't he?"

He shrugged. "Now you see why I thought that baby was his when you showed up at the door." He chewed at his bottom lip and darted his eyes to the table, his voice grew quit. "You, uh, you got a reason for asking or something." He wasn't sure why he asked that question. He regretted it once the words left his mouth. He wasn't normally a nosey person. It wasn't his business if she wanted to screw around with his brother. But the thought of her doing so made his stomach twist in knots and it felt like he'd been kicked in the gut.

"Reason? What kinda reason would I have for asking about Merle?" She saw how he raised a suggested brow at her and she nearly choked on the water she'd been sipping when she realized what he was thinking.

"Shit! You alright?"

She nodded her head and held up a finger to him while she caught her breath. She couldn't help but laugh at what he thought once she'd gathered her bearings. "You think that I wanna... " She erupted into more laughter. "With Merle?"

He blushed furiously and his eyes flicked away from her. He couldn't hide his embarrassment when he spoke. "Well...you were asking about him and where's he's been."

"I was just making conversation! I can't believe you thought that!"

"I didn't know!" He defended. He watched her as she continued to laugh. By now she was laughing so hard her cheeks were red and she was leaning over like she might fall out of her chair. God, she was beautiful. Shit. Where did that thought come from. He quickly shook it off, but couldn't help the full on smile that lined his face as he continued to watch her, letting out a small laugh of his own.

"I'm sorry." She told him, forcing herself to calm down. She couldn't remember the last time she'd laughed that hard at something, but for some reason, the thought of her sleeping with Daryl's brother was hilarious. He wasn't unattractive. But he was extremely crass and more than likely had slept with half the town. She wasn't interested in sleeping with Merle Dixon. Hormonally crazy horny or not, that wasn't an option. Not that Merle would wanna bone a pregnant woman anyway even if she was interested. "You're brother isn't an ugly man or anything like that. He's just..." She searched for something that wouldn't sound offensive. But she couldn't quite come up with a polite way of putting it. Instead she pointed to her belly and changed her approach. "I don't think I'll be looking to sleep with anyone anytime soon. You know? I just? I think that it'd be weird."

She'd meant that it would probably be weird to any man she propositioned and that she didn't feel like anyone would want her right now in her current state. But Daryl took it as her meaning it'd be weird for her. And he naturally assumed it was because of the way her ex had done her. And while that made him feel really bad for her, he also felt a strange sense of relief knowing she wouldn't be going after any man anytime soon.

But as relieved as that made him feel, he'd be even more relieved when they got off this topic of conversation. Even if he was the one that unintentionally brought it up.

He was still blushing and he didn't respond to her comment, which pretty much confirmed her suspicion that any man would find the idea of sleeping with her right now repulsive, so she decided to change the subject. "So, um, what do usually do when you get home from work?"

"Huh?"

"Well, Merle is gone all the time, with his favorite fuck buddy apparently." She smirked, mischievously. She shouldn't, but couldn't resist. "I'm guessing you aren't with yours since you're home almost all the time. How do you fill your free time."

"Don't got one." He mumbled, daring to look up and see her face when he answered. She continued to smirk at him and he twiddled his thumbs as a distraction. "Go out in the woods a lot. Walking. Checking my traps. Messing with my deer stands. It's peaceful out there. There's a little stream behind the house. I catch some crawdads in it. Those are real good when you boil them." What he didn't tell her was that he secretly went out there with a camera a lot and took pictures. He'd always loved photography. Especially photographing nature. But Merle called him a pussy for it and gave him hell about his hobby. So, he was ashamed to admit it to anyone else.

She smiled at him. Feeling happy that he was opening up to her about his life and that she was getting to know him better. "What about that shop behind the house? I noticed you go out there a lot. Are you hiding dead bodies out there? Torturing your victims? Should I be scared?" She joked.

"Pfft. Stop." He tried to sound offended but he chuckled at her. "Working on rebuilding a bike in there."

"Like a bicycle?"

"Nah." He scoffed. "A motorcycle."

"Like the one you have now?"

He shook his head. "An older one. It's called an Indian. Needs a lot of work. Rusted like hell. Engines shot. But it'll be worth it when I'm done. Probably gonna flip it. Make a decent bit of money off of it. Collectors go crazy for that kinda shit."

"I didn't realize you were that talented." She sounded genuinely impressed.

"I ain't. It ain't nothing. Just a trade I picked up somewhere along the way. Think one of my mama's boyfriend's or husband's got me into it. Shit, I can't remember."

"Your parents were divorced?" She asked him, not hiding the surprise in her tone.

He froze. Chastising himself for letting that tidbit slip out. He'd didn't talk about his personal life with anyone. He'd let his guard down with her. "Mhm." Was the only answer he offered.

"I didn't realize that. You lived with your mom after?"

"Mhm."

"I was raised by my mom, too." She told him. "My dad...he...he died in a mill accident when I was twelve. She never re-married. She didn't really date either until I was out of the house. I didn't have to deal with the whole step-dad thing."

"Lucky you." He mumbled.

"You didn't like your step-dad?" She asked softly.

Which fucking one? He thought to himself. He'd had four between the ages of 6 and 17. Countless other live in boyfriends to boot. His mama didn't have a relationship after his old man that lasted more than a year. He felt anger bubbling beneath the surface as old memories flooded his mind. He wished she'd stop asking him about all this shit. "Nah. Not really."

"I'm sorry. That had to be really hard growing up in a house with someone you didn't care for." She could tell the topic was difficult for him and instinct told her to reach out and place a comforting hand over his. What she knew about him so far and his aversion to touch told her that'd be the last thing he wanted, so she refrained. She decided to try and change the subject off of his step-dad. "What about you dad? Did he re-marry after?"

The question about his father is what sent him over the edge. "What's with all the fucking questions?" He snapped.

His harsh tone caught her off guard. She flinched and her eyes widened. Not because she was scared of him, but because he'd been so timid since the moment she met him that she hadn't expected the outburst. Though, she did have to admit, the yelling had hurt her feelings a bit.

The moment he saw her face and the way she jumped at his words, he instantly regretted it. He felt like a giant fucking asshole. "Fuck. I'm sorry." He told her softy. Before she could reply to him he stood up and pushed his chair under the table and swiped a hand over his face. "I should go. I shouldn't have...I should go. Thank you for dinner."

She got up and stood in front of him, reaching out and brushing his arm with her hand to stop him. He flinched, but she didn't move her hand this time, and she was surprised to find he didn't pull away after she didn't make a move to. She thought she understood why he reacted the way he did. Pieces were slowly falling together. Maybe not enough to complete a puzzle, but enough to know what the puzzle would looked like finished. "You don't have to go." She gently assured him, meeting his eyes with hers.

"I.."

"It's alright." She interrupted. He gave her a look that let her know he knew it really wasn't, and deep down she knew that, too. But she truly believed he hadn't meant to and that he was sorry for acting out. "I don't mean it's alright to talk to someone like that." She clarified. "I mean that it's alright that you had a reaction like that to something you didn't wanna talk. I understand. I've got things I don't wanna talk about either. We all have our demons."

He looked down shamefully but didn't say anything.

She let go of his arm. "You wanna make it even."

That made him look up at her curiously. "Huh?"

"Ask me something. Anything you think I wouldn't wanna answer. Ask me about until it reaches a point I wanna yell at you."

He looked at her like she was crazy.

"We'll be even that way. I'll have yelled at you. You'll have yelled at me. Fair is fair. Right?"

"Don't know what to ask you."

"It can be anything. I mean, you kinda already asked me if I wanted to bone your brother. That was borderline intrusive in itself. You've gotta be wondering about other things. Even if you won't voice them out loud."

He paused for a moment, worrying his bottom lip. He wasn't sure this was a good idea. He really just wanted to get the hell out of there. But he didn't wanna leave on bad terms either. Especially when it would be his fault that things got screwed up. Why wasn't she pissed at him? She should have been.

"Just ask me something, Daryl."

He blew out a deep breath. "Who's your baby's father?"

She sucked in a calming one. "Ed Peletier." She waited for him to prod further but he didn't. "Keep going. I'm not at my yelling point."

This was fucking stupid he thought to himself. But he kept going. "Why ain't he around?"

This time she was the one gnawing at her bottom lip. "He was a teacher in Fulton County. It's north of Atlanta. A nice area. Ritzy. We met at a conference in Stone Mountain." She had to bite down in order to keep talking. "We, uh, we had a fling the three days I was there. It just kinda happened. I don't know why...I wasn't...I wasn't like that. I mean...I didn't sleep with people I barely knew." She watched to gauge his reaction, but it was hard to read. There was no expression there. He was quietly, intently listening to her. "Anyway, I, um, we, we kept in touch after. He gave me his number. The next two months he'd come to my place on the weekends. We were in a relationship...I thought we were in a relationship." She bit back a tear, ashamed with herself and worrying he'd be ashamed of her after knowing. "Until I found out I was pregnant that is...I told him about the baby and...then I found out he was...he was...married." She paused, expecting some look of disgust, like she was a home-wrecking whore, but she didn't get one. She got something she didn't expect.

"Fucking asshole." He muttered, gravely.

"Yeah,,,."

"What'd all he say when you told him? Besides that he was married"

"It was bad. Really bad."

There was a look in her eyes, one that was all too familiar to him and it caused a strange wave of protectiveness to claw it's way out of him. Suddenly, he very much cared to know what had happened and he found he had a lot more questions. "What do you mean bad? That asshole do something to you? To the baby?"

She shook her head, indicating she didn't wanna talk about it any longer.

"Carol, what happened?" He persisted.

"I don't wanna talk about it!" This time she was the one snapping at him.

He rested his hands on his hips and hung his head. She was right. Everyone had something they didn't wanna talk about. Something that brought out an unpleasant, angry side in them. Even her. He nodded somberly in understanding, knowing she didn't wanna be pressed and that she'd proved her point to him.

When he looked up he noticed her wiping at her eyes and he felt a tightness in his chest. His eyes rested on her pregnant belly, the sonogram picture of the innocent, unborn infant suckling it's thumb that hung on her fridge flashed in his mind. "Listen, I don't know what happened. And I get it. Fuck, you have no idea how much I get it. You don't wanna talk about it. But...whatever it was...if it's something that you need handled in the future...You come get me. You come get Merle. Don't hesitate."

"It won't be a problem anymore." She replied. "But thank you."

Daryl wasn't so sure about that. He didn't know what went down, but he could tell it was something big. Something painful she wasn't telling him. Something more than the prick just not wanting to be a daddy and owning up to his responsibility. And whether she realized it or not, the man was the father or her kid, he very well could be a problem again if he decided he wanted to be. "Well, if it ever is, you know where me and Merle are. You know I'm almost always here if I ain't at work."

She nodded to satisfy him, feeling touched he was willing to look out for her, but knowing she wouldn't feel right dragging him into her baby daddy drama if there ever was an issue. But she really didn't think Ed would bother. He wouldn't want his wife to find out about the affair. He wouldn't want her to take half of his paycheck for child support. She didn't see him showing up again. Not that he knew where she lived now anyway.

He brought his thumb up to the side of his mouth. He was overwhelmed with all of the fucking sharing and openness that had occurred. He was starting to feel like a caged animal. He needed solitude. He needed to be alone with his thoughts. He needed space. "I still best be getting home. Thank you for the food and all. It was real good."

"Alright." She replied, sighing inwardly as she watched him pull back into that little shell of his. "It was good having you over."

He stepped around her and headed for the front door. He half expected her to call out to him and say that they should do this again. Maybe invite him over for dinner again soon. But she didn't. He wondered if it was because of how he acted. Even if she said it was okay, he still felt like it wasn't. They'd just agreed to be friends and he didn't wanna think he'd already screwed this new friendship up. He stopped in front of the door and turned around to face her. She was clearing the table. He had to force the words out his mouth he was so nervous and it was so new for him to initiate being around someone . "Do you, uh, you think we could do this again sometime?"

Even though bringing up Ed had put her in a bit of a mood, she couldn't suppress a small smile. "Are you asking me to cook for you again?"

His face fell and he felt like even more of a jackass. "I wasn't saying you had to cook for me. I was just.."

She cut him off. "It's alright, Daryl. I like cooking. Come by anytime you want. I enjoyed having you."

"Yeah?" He grinned.

"Yeah." She replied, her voice lighter and more relaxed than it had been moments before.


	12. Chapter 12

It was Sunday afternoon, and Carol had been planning to meet up with Lori so they could go to that new boutique downtown where Carol had bought the blue maternity dress that Lori had complimented her on the evening that they met at Daryl's place. She'd been looking forward to going out with Lori today and getting to know the woman better. She hadn't exactly done the best job of keeping up with people she'd gone to high school with, so her friendships here were somewhat limited right now.

She had her cousins, Maggie and Shawn, but they were both almost ten years younger than she was. Carol felt certain there was a world of difference in what they found fun and what she found fun. And soon enough, college would resume and their lives would be as busy as a bees between working part-time and taking classes. And Maggie also had her relationship with Glenn to add to her equation.

There was Beth, but she was even younger than Carol, at only sixteen. The girl was still in high school and her interests seemed to center around two boys she rotated between every other week, or at least that's what she was able to gather from Hershel and Annette. Jimmy and Zack, both of which were slightly older than Beth. Hershel wasn't exactly thrilled about his youngest daughter's romantic awakening.

Not that Carol could say she blamed him. From the moment she found out she'd be having a daughter of her own, she couldn't help the overwhelming feeling of dread that washed over her, knowing one day Sophia might meet a man like her own father. Scratch that, a man like Ed, the glorified sperm donor. He didn't even deserve the title "father." No matter what his title was, it still made Carol shudder to think that her daughter may encounter a man like that some day.

The silver lining was that she had a long time before she had to worry about that since her child wasn't even born yet and she would at least have plenty of time to prepare Sophia to be wary of strangers and not be as naïve as she, herself, had been. Hopefully her younger cousin Beth would take note of Carol's mistake concerning Ed and she wouldn't end up in Carol's shoes one day.

She was thankful that Maggie had Glenn. The two had been together since their freshman year in college. Glenn had literally run into Maggie in a rush to get to his political science class that he was running late for. The rest had been history, they'd been almost inseparable ever since. Carol adored Glenn. He was cute, sweet and the boy gushed over her younger cousin. He made it known to the world Maggie was the light of his life. Carol could only hope that she was lucky enough to find a man that felt that way about her one day. Not only her, but her daughter, also. Since the moment she found out she was going to be a single mother, she'd known that it if a man ever happened into her life again, she would be much more careful about getting into a relationship with him.

It wouldn't be a man she simply settled with, like she'd done Tobin. And it sure as hell wouldn't be a situation where she just jumped into something because she found someone attractive and felt a "spark" like she had with Ed. That was far too dangerous to do when you had a child. She didn't want to expose her daughter to any and every one. No, whoever she ended up with, this person would be someone she felt she could trust. Someone she took the time to get to know. A person she absolutely knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, would love and cherish her daughter, as if he was her own.

That thought made Carol laugh to herself. How rare must it truly be to find a man who would love a child who wasn't his? Sophia's own father hadn't even wanted to be a part of her life. What reason was there for Carol to believe that she'd one day meet a man who'd be eager to jump at the chance of taking on the responsibility of loving a single mother and her child?

Daryl sure as hell didn't seem to care for his step-father from what little she'd been able to get out of him last night. And she couldn't help but wonder if maybe his relationship with his step-father had been part of the reason he is the way he is today. Merle appeared to be older than Daryl from what she could deduce by looking at the brothers. Maybe he'd been out of the house by the time the step-father was in the picture and he hadn't endured whatever Daryl had gone through.

Daryl. Once again, her thoughts gravitated to this man.

She had some many questions when it came to him. Questions she wasn't sure she'd ever get answers to the way he walled himself up and shut everything out.

Yet, there'd been brief instances when he seemed crack his defenses in front of her. Sure, he sealed them up tightly as soon as he realized he was doing it. But maybe in time she'd get him to open up more, little by little.

It was such a strange thing to her, wanting, almost needing, to seek out this friendship with him. In so many ways it didn't make sense, especially with her being pregnant. Her rules she'd set up regarding any significant other she may, or may not, encounter in the future were so strict. So tentative. Shouldn't her rules apply to new friends? Was it really wise for her to pursue this friendship with Daryl? A man she didn't really even know? A man who'd raised his voice at her in anger last night?

Maybe she should have been mad at him for that. Maybe it should have hurt her feelings more than it did. It probably should have driven a wedge between them and caused her to re-examine why she wanted to be friends with this man. But she felt an understanding there when he lashed out. She didn't think he'd intentionally been trying to be mean to her. It seemed like more of a learned response to a negative stimuli. Like he felt he was being pushed against a wall and it was the only way to break free.

He felt guilty about it. She knew that much. He'd seemed disgusted with himself that he'd lost his temper with her like that and he'd tried to pull back and go home. He'd known it was wrong. And to her, that spoke volumes about his character. You can't change what you don't acknowledge, and the fact that he acknowledged he was out of line right after it happened let her know he knew it was unacceptable. That's why she didn't let his outburst make her feel unsafe around him. Make her feel like he'd be a threat to her or Sophia.

And Hershel knew Daryl and Merle very well. He'd spoken highly of both, especially Daryl. There is no way he would have ever recommended her to live next to either brother if he viewed them as dangerous in the least.

That's why she let herself felel completely comfortable still seeking out and pursing this friendship with him. And she had plenty of time to get to know him better and get him to break down some more of those walls of his before Sophia was physically present in the equation. Besides, Daryl and Merle lived right next to her, they were going to be in close proximity to her child at all times. It was good to get to personally know both of them better, regardless of whether or not she wanted to be friends with him.

Her phone started buzzing, jolting her from the rambling wave of thoughts swishing around in the sea that was her mind these days. She felt thankful for the distraction. There was a good chance she'd stay lost in her mind all day if she let herself. She'd always been a bit of an over-thinker, but the pregnancy had seemed to have her mind in constant over-drive.

Carol picked the phone up and swiped the green button to accept the call. It was Lori on the other end, letting her know she was about to pull up in Carol's driveway and making sure she was ready. She let the other woman know she was and went to grab her purse after ending the call. She'd been looking forward to this outing for days. She had spoken with Lori several times since they met Tuesday and she had a feeling that they were going to develop a pretty tight bond as they navigated the rest of these pregnancies together. It was so refreshing to have someone to talk to who could relate to her and the things she was going through.

()()()

The two woman had fallen into comfortable conversation on the way to the boutique. It almost felt like they'd been friends for years the with the litte effort they seemed to have to put forth to keep the conversation flowing. Once they'd gotten to the boutique they'd quickly resulted to bouncing wardrobe ideas off of one another and dishing out fashion advice.

"This is the same on you have, isn't it?" Lori asked, turning to Carol and holding up a red version of the exact dress she'd worn to Daryl's on Tuesday.

Carol ran her fingers along the soft fabric and smiled. She'd chosen the blue dress for herself because it accented her eyes, but the red one would look amazing on Lori. "It is. Are you gonna get it?"

Lori grinned at her new friend. "I am. I kinda wanna dress up for Rick and let him take me somewhere nice. I've been so distant these last few months. I know I've been moody and angry and hard to deal with and he's really been wonderful about everything. I feel like I should pay him back." She winked suggestively at Carol. "Know what I mean?"

She swatted Lori's arm and giggled. "You're so bad."

"Not as bad as I'm gonna be. I think I'll be the sheriff for the night and Rick can be the unruly suspect."

Carol blushed from Lori's descriptiveness. "Oh my God! Stop. Please!"

Lori busted out laughing and nudged Carol with her shoulder. "I'm kidding, honey. Even though I'm sure Rick wishes I wasn't." She smiled as Carol snorted. "I'm not in the mood for that much, I can't even pretend I am, but I can pretend to enjoy it for a good ten or fifteen minutes in order to make him happy. I mean, what's love if you can't pretend to enjoy sex with your boyfriend while you feel like an angry whale that would rather swallow him whole that let him get anywhere near your blow hole?"

Carol covered her mouth until she regained her composer. "Aside from last night when Daryl thought I wanted to sleep with his brother, I don't think I've laughed this hard in months."

Lori's eyes grew wide as saucers and her jaw dropped. "Daryl thought you wanted to sleep with Merle?"

Carol nodded. "I don't even know why he'd even think that. All I did was ask why his brother hadn't been home lately."

Lori smirked knowingly but didn't say anything. "So, you were with Daryl last night?"

"Yeah. I, uh, invited him over for dinner." Something about the way Lori was looking at her out of the corner of her eyes made her uncomfortable. "It was no big deal." She dismissed. "He'd been out in the yard working hard all day. I just thought he might be hungry and could use a home cooked meal."

Lori raised an eyebrow at her. "Watching him work in the yard, were you?"

"Oh, stop!" She pointed to her belly. "Let's be serious. I'm six months pregnant. I'm not on anyone's radar right now." She threw up a hand. "Not that I'd wanna be, considering the situation I'm in."

Lori didn't protest the notion but didn't say she'd been kidding either. "Do you two spend a lot of time together?"

She pursed her lips. "Not really. That's the first time I've seen him since we ate with you and Rick at his place. Well, not really since I've seen him." She clarified. "I see him in the yard from time to time when one of us is coming or going. But it's the first time we've hung out since then. Why do you ask?"

Lori shrugged. "I was just wondering. Rick made it sound like us going to dinner and meeting you was pretty important to Daryl. He just doesn't usually go out of his way to make new friends or let people he doesn't know inside his world. In fact, I've never really seem him with a woman. Well, a woman he wasn't stumbling out of a bar with when he was piss drunk."

"Oh." Carol replied quietly. She couldn't hide the slight disappointment in her voice when she spoke again. "So, what? He's like Merle? He sleeps around a lot? Because to be honest I had a hard time picturing him with a woman at all."

"Well, sweety, you didn't think he was an almost thirty year old virgin did you?"

"No...well...actually...maybe...yeah." She admitted, still feeling the shock from learning he was the type to go out and have random hook-ups. She arched a brow at Lori when another realization hit her. "Wait! He's almost thirty?"

"Yeah. How old did you think he was?"

"I don't know. 24, maybe 25 at most. I really wouldn't have been surprised to find out he was younger."

"No way! He's 29. He's gonna be 30 in December. He's a year older than Rick."

"I didn't realize that at all. Never would have guessed we were so close in age."

"How old are you?"

"30. I'll be 31 in September. How old are you?"

"26."

"Oh, wow! You're just a baby compared to me!" She teased.

"Please! I'm a mother to be."

"I know." Carol smiled, deciding to continue the banter. "It's a shame. Babies having babies."

"Shut up." Lori chuckled.

Carol affectionately shook her head. Then her train of thought jumped like it was prone to these days. "Hey? Do you know how old Merle is?"

"35, I think. Why? Was Daryl right? Do you have a thing for the elder Dixon?" She waggled her eyebrows.

"God no!" She snorted. "I was just curious. I didn't know if I was way off with his age, too. But I guessed his about right." She walked over and started sorting through a blouse rack, searching for something she could wear to teach in. The thought of Daryl randomly hooking up with strange woman kept nagging at her brain, and she couldn't help feeling bothered by it. She told herself it's because she just read him wrong. Nothing more. Nothing less. "Daryl's really...really a man-whore? He's really like Merle?"

"Define man-whore and like Merle?"

"A guy who frequently takes random women home, I guess. Someone who'll put his penis in anything?"

Lori shot her that knowing look again but shook her head dismissively. "Then, no, Daryl isn't a man-whore, per say."

"But you just said..."

"I know what I said." Lori interrupted. "And it's true. I've never seen him with a woman unless he was about to get laid, _other than you_. But that's not really his MO. He isn't like Merle. He doesn't just go out every chance her gets and find someone to sleep with. Sometimes he's out with Merle and women come on to him and he leaves with them. But I've known Daryl almost a year and I can pretty much count on one hand the times that's happenend. That's just kinda a man thing. You know? Some woman is throwing it at a single guy, of course he's gonna take the bait. Everyone has an itch that needs scratching now and again."

"He isn't awkward and shy all the time? Do I make him that uncomfortable?"

"No, he's pretty much like that all the time. He just doesn't need to talk much with these kinda women and he's usually drunk when they approach him. In and out, so to speak. I doubt he hangs around once the fun is over. I can't imagine what he'd do if he stayed around them long enough to sober up."

Carol's brow furrowed and she felt eager to change the subject. She quickly started shuffling through the blouses, causing coat hangers to clank together at the rapid pace she was moving them in.

Lori sensed how restless that topic of conversation seemed to make Carol and she felt bad for even opening her big mouth. She gently placed her hand over the one Carol had been using to ruffle through the clothes with. "Can I tell you something? Her face softened and a light smile lined the brunette's lips. "I do think you make him a little more uncomfortable than most people do."

"Is this your way of comforting people who are upset? Because you kinda suck at it if it is?"

Lori rolled her eyes and kept her light smile in place. "Carol, I've never seen Daryl Dixon shower and get dressed up to eat dinner with someone. I've sure as hell never seen him make sandwiches for someone. And he doesn't go out of his way to make new friends. Rick and Glenn both had to practically force him to become their friend. Yet, for some reason, he seems pretty interested in you." She held up the red dress in her hands she was planning on buying. "And I've damn sure never seen him look at a woman the way he was looking at you in this dress."

"What?" She swallowed hard and her breath hitched in her chest. "What are you trying to say?"

Lori tapped her forehead with two fingers. "Think about it what I'm saying, honey."

She stared blankly at the other woman.

"I think he has a crush on you!"

 **I can't seem to stop with examining the things going on inside Carol and Daryl's heads right now. I try really hard to move on from it. I really do. But it's just what comes out when my fingers touch the keys. I hope that's not hindering the story or making it less enjoyable because there is a sort of a lack in direct character interaction. I plan to get to a point it's not going to be needed as much. I'm working to get there soon. I really am. Both characters are just somewhat "alone" story wise right now in their own unique way, and I feel like they have lots of thinky thoughts going on inside of their head.**

 **I'm also struggling with the pace I wanna go with this. Initially, I was planning on developing things a lot slower, but I sort of got swept away and now I hope I'm not moving entirely too fast. I swear I'm my own worst critic. I'm shutting up now.**

 **Thanks for those of you reading and much love to those who take time to drop reviews.**


	13. Chapter 13

For a moment, Carol felt like she'd lost the ability to speak. Was Lori being serious right now? Or was this her idea of some sort of practical joke? If it was, Carol didn't find it funny in the least. Her head was spinning, her chest felt tight, and Sophia decided it was an opportune moment to attempt some sort of weird pitter-patter assault in her belly, causing a feeling she could only describe as something similar to a swarm of butterflies flying around in there.

She simply stared at the other woman, who was still grinning at her. Lori's words repeated in her head, over and over again, like a broken record. Finally, she mustered up the ability to push words from her lips. "That's the most absurd thing I've ever heard." Carol dismissed, waving Lori off.

"A man finding you attractive and appealing is absurd?" Lori chuckled and pointed to Carol's belly. "You do realize at least one other man must have thought that in your life. Seeing as how you are with child and all?"

"Yeah...well...that was when I didn't look like a manatee!" She sqeaked, her voice much higher pitched than normal. "The fact that you think Daryl has a crush on me is just ridiculous. Silly. Silly. Silly. Silly. Silly." She kept repeating, almost like she was trying to convince herself, and not Lori, of how ludicrous the idea sounded.

Lori stifled a laugh at how erratic her new friend was acting. "Carol, you're beautiful. Did you see yourself in that dress the other night? And you being pregnant doesn't diminish that in any way. You're practically glowing, honey. Daryl would have to be blind not to notice you, and a liar if he wouldn't admit it." Lori understood what it was like to feel unattractive during pregnancy. Most days she felt like a fat cow, but Rick always told her she was gorgeous and more beautiful than he'd ever seen her before. She didn't believe him for a second, but she meant what she said to Carol. Pregnancy looked good on Carol.

"That man? That bashful, fumbling man? You think he has a crush on me?" Carol nervously laughed to herself. "Me? The woman carrying her asshole ex-boyfriend, or fuck buddy, or whatever the hell he was to me, his bastard child? You think that someone like Daryl, whose history with women can be reduced to a few meaningless one-night bar romps, wants to get involved in a situation like this?. And on top of that you think that after the last man I was involved with kept the fact that he was married from me while he was seeing me, then asked me to abort my unborn child, my "huge mistake" as he referred to her, that I have any interest in getting involved with someone I barely know?"

Lori glanced around as people in the store stopped to stare at them and she saw Carol's cheeks flush redder than the dress she had in her hand. Now she really wished she hadn't opened her mouth. She thought it might make Carol feel good about herself to know she had an admirer. It wasn't like she expected her to be interested in Daryl right now or that she ever thought Daryl would do anything about his little crush. Now she'd opened up a can of worms she couldn't close and she had more than a good guess as to why this situation was so off-setting to Carol. She held up both hands in surrender. "I'm sorry. I didn't even know how things went down with your ex. And I didn't realize this was going to upset you. I shouldn't have said anything. Let's just forget it."

Carol sighed heavily and rested her hands on he hips, letting her chin fall to her chest. "I didn't mean to freak out on you. I'm sorry. I just...I wasn't expecting you to say that at all. It really caught me off guard and it threw me for a loop. My hormones are crazy right now as is and that was just.."

"I get it. No need to apologize. That was out of line. And, you know, don't act weird around Daryl because of it. Please? He's really making an effort to get to know you and let you in his life if he's willingly spending time with you. That's sort of a huge deal for him. I'd hate it if me opening my big mouth put a dent in that."

Carol blinked a few times, still trying to fully process everything. "You're serious, aren't you? About...about him having a crush on me."

Lori shrugged and let the corner of her lip turn up. "I can't say for sure. He isn't the kinda guy who'd go blabbing to me or Rick about his feelings, but if I was betting woman, I'd put my money on it. Carol, really, it's not a big deal. It's just a little crush. I'm pretty positive he won't act on it. Not as shy as he is and not if he knows everything you went through, the things you just told me. Daryl's a complicated guy to get to know and to understand but he's a sweetheart if he cares about you. I think he'd make a really good friend and I think it would be good for him to learn how to relate to a woman some. Getting to know you could be really good for him and having a guy like him around could be good for you too."

"I'm not gonna be weird with him." She assured Lori. "I won't let him know we had this conversation. I plan on forgetting it and pushing it completely out of my mind. Because...well...I kind of have to right now. You know? I have Sophia to think about. My life isn't about me anymore."

Lori rubbed her own belly. "Yep. I know what you mean." She held up her dress. "Tell you what? Let me go pay for this and let me take you to grab a bite to eat. There's a great frozen yogurt place around the corner."

()()()

The women left the boutique without buying anything, other than the dress Lori had already picked out. They walked the short block to the place Lori had told Carol about until they reached their destination. It was a neon pink building with a colorful sign that read, Chilly Millie's.

The women fixed themselves a cup of frozen yogurt each and decked the toppings on. Carol had opted for the pomegranate/berry blend and topped it with kiwi and strawberry. Lori had gone for the chocolate fudge option and loaded it with Butterfinger crumbles, sprinkles, and M&M'S.

Carol wouldn't let Lori pay for hers, no matter how much she insisted, and the two women took a seat at a lime green table once they had both paid.

Lori took a bite of her snack and mulled a question over in her mind, wondering if it would be intrusive to ask, but unable to bite back her own curiosity now that it had been sparked.

"You wanna know about Sophia's father, don't you?" Carol stated after she felt that the silence had gone on between them too long. Lori had that look on her face, the one most people wore when they wanted to ask about the father or her child, but weren't quite sure how to go about it.

Lori dropped her spoon in her cup and gave Carol a sheepish look. "Not if you don't wanna tell me."

"I sort of already told you back at the boutique. It's...if you have questions...it's fine. Most people do. In fact, I appreciate that you haven't asked me before now."

"I wouldn't have if you hadn't brought it up."

"But I did and now you're curious. So, shoot. What is it you wanna now?"

"Were you together long?"

Carol shook her head shyly. This part always made her nervous people would think bad of her for how brief their relationship had been. But if Lori did, she didn't show it once Carol started her story. She told her about how long they'd been together. How they met. About how Ed flipped out when he found out she was pregnant. But she didn't tell her new friend about the fact that the man had been so irate he'd slapped her. She conveniently left that part out, just like she'd done with Daryl the night before.

"That asshole." Lori commented when Carol was finished talking. "I'm so sorry that happened to you."

She smiled weakly. "It's alright."

"Did you tell his wife?"

Carol swirled her spoon around in the melting bowl. "No. No. I didn't. Maybe I should have. Maybe she deserved to know. But I couldn't bring myself to do it. I can't imagine how heartbreaking it would be for her to find out her husband impregnated another woman when they'd been trying for years. I have a friend back where I lived before I moved here. Her name's Tara. She and her partner have been trying to conceive through artificial insemination for about a year now and the pregnancy just won't take. It's been grueling on both of them. I just...I think about how disappointed she was every negative test she took. I think about how much she blames herself. And I just can't do it. It's not his wife's fault he's a son of a bitch."

Lori whistled through her teeth. "You have a lot more restraint than I do. I would have been so furious that I would ruin him. I'm talking child support out the ass."

"I don't want his money. I really don't. I might not be rich, by any means, but I make enough my child won't lack for anything. I'd rather struggle to raise her on my own than let a man like Ed into her life. Someone who doesn't want her, who is going to resent her. If he paid child support, I think he'd feel entitled to have a say so in how she was raised."

"I guess you have a point when you look at it from that perspective. With Rick, I guess it's just easier to assume what I would do and how I'd react if he did me wrong. He's not a bad guy and he already loves his son. I'd have no qualms about letting him stay in Carl's life if we broke up."

"I think it's easy to judge how you'd do something when you're on the outside of it. You know? Before I told Ed, before I knew everything I know now, I had an idea he'd be upset. I sure didn't think he'd be happy. But I thought...I assumed...he'd do right. He'd want to be there for his child. It never occurred to me she'd be a burden or an end to his real life. I had every intention of receiving child support and planning out weekend schedules, I had hope we might even stay together and get serious, raise her in a two parent home. It was a slim hope, but it was there."

Lori pushed her empty bowl aside and scanned the room for familiar faces, when she didn't see any she slid her chair closer to Carol's. "I think we all have a plan for our life and what we're gonna do until something comes along and knocks our world off of it's axis. This? Carl? He wasn't part of my plan." She let her voice drop a few decimals and leaned in closer to Carol. "I wasn't even sure I wanted to be with Rick the rest of my life before I got pregnant. We fought like cats and dogs before. Over the least little things. I wasn't sure we had another three months left in us."

Carol felt like she was becoming privy to some heavy information and she wasn't sure quite how to react to it seeing as how she didn't know Lori well at all. She shifted anxiously in her chair, causing the metal to grate the tile floor.

Lori sensed she was making the other woman slightly uncomfortable and decided to elaborate further. "I love Rick. God knows I do. I've never not loved him. He's a good guy. He's attractive. We had a good sex life. We've just always clashed. Maybe we're both too hot-headed. Who knows? But there was a time it was bad. Really bad. And I just didn't know if we were meant to be. I think Rick knew it too. He was too stubborn to give up, but he knew. But then we found out I was pregnant and things changed. Like you said, it wasn't about us anymore. We wanted to give our son a family and we decided to scratch and claw and do what it takes to make this work. For him. And that's what we're doing. It's what we're gonna do. And I think me getting pregnant might have been the best thing for us. Because I fall in love with that man a little more each time I see him smile at his son's sonogram picture. Or pick out baby clothes. Or talk about how much he can't wait to see his son."

Carol silently wondered if she'd have done the same thing if this baby had been Tobin's and not Ed's. Would she have forced herself to stay with him for the child? Would she have fallen in love with him when she saw how much he loved her daughter and how excited he was to be a father? She didn't think so. And strangely, she found herself feeling relieved this child wasn't Tobin's. Because knowing her, she would have stuck around out of that sense of duty to provide family with both parents to her child.

"I bet you think I'm a horrible person." Lori groaned after noticing how long Carol stayed silent following her confession. "Again, me opening my big mouth. Forget I said that. Please? Forget it. I don't want Daryl telling Rick. I just...you were so honest with me...I felt like I could get that off my chest and be honest with you."

Carol smiled warmly and covered Lori's hand with her own. "I don't think bad of you for that. Not at all. And don't worry. I won't mention it to Daryl. It's not my business. I just sort of got lost in my own thoughts for a second. I do that a lot these days."

"You really don't think ill of me for it? You said yourself that Rick was a good man."

Carol shook her head. "No. I don't. In fact, I get it. There was a man I was with for two years before Ed. A kind man. A man who cared about me. But I just didn't feel the same way about him. He proposed and I ended things. It doesn't make you a villain for not loving someone, or for falling out of love, or for a relationship not being able to work. As long as no one cheats or intentionally does something hurtful to the other person I wouldn't demonize anyone for walking away if they aren't happy."


	14. Chapter 14

**Thanks for reading and reviewing.**

 **To the reviewer who thinks that Daryl is likely a virgin in this, part of me wanted to do that and part of me struggled with people finding that unlikely at his age and him being around Merle so much. I do have to agree with you, that the way I've written him in this, it would probably make the most sense. Personally, my head cannon of Daryl in the show is that he's likely demi-sexual and since he hasn't had many meaningful relationships in his life up until the ZA, that it's possible he is a virgin. I don't ever expect the show to address that, but it's just my own personal theory I was throwing out there. I could be way off. Either way, I personally doubt he's ever had a meaningful sexual encounter. But I'm still hopeful our two favorites are eventually going to experience that together. I'm shutting up now, because I could talk TWD all day.** **Enjoy the story.**

Daryl was spending his Sunday afternoon in the backyard doing some target practice with his crossbow. He'd just bought a Buck 3-D archery target. Damn thing looked pretty life-like too. He was trying to go ahead and start for prepping for bow season, even though it wouldn't start until September. Every damn year him and Merle made bets on who could score the biggest buck and who could get it the fastest, and almost every year, Daryl won. But the son of a bitch had beat him to it last year and he was hell bent on making sure it didn't happen again this time around.

Daryl hadn't been happy about forking over the hundred bucks they'd bet on it, especially when Merle wasted his hard earned money on going to the strip club, but that hadn't been the worst fucking part about. Swallowing his pride and admitting Merle had beat him had been the kicker. Daryl had pretty much always been better with the crossbow than Merle. It was something he prided himself on.

He still was, in his opinion, more of a skilled marksman than his brother. Merle had just gotten lucky. Been in the right place at the right time. But Merle wouldn't chalk it all up to luck. Nope. Merle rubbed his nose in that shit every chance he got. Not this year, though. Daryl wasn't going to let him land the biggest buck twice in a row.

Plus, Merle was considering raising the stakes with this years bet. He wasn't interested in money this time around. He wanted to do something different now that he'd finally won and that he felt like he was the superior archer. This year, Merle wanted to dish out dares. The winner could dare the loser to do whatever the fuck they wanted, and they didn't even have to tell the loser what it was until the day they decided to collect on it.

Fuck that shit.

Daryl didn't even wanna think about the type of humiliating, degrading, inglorious ideas that Merle could come up with. He wouldn't doubt that his brother would try to make him run around town in a pink sparkly G-string. He could see the smug grin on the fucker's face now. And the bad thing was, that was a relatively tame idea. Knowing Merle's sick and twisted mind, he could come up with something far, far worse.

But the kicker was, if Daryl won, Merle was at his mercy. His brother would have to do whatever the fuck he wanted him to. And while Daryl's mind wasn't one-quarter as lewd and disgusting as Merle's, he did think Merle's cocky attitude could be brought down a notches.

He had just the idea of how to bring the asshole down to his knees. Which is why he was half-way considering agreeing to the ridiculous idea. It would serve the bastard right to get some payback after all the shit he liked to give other people.

Daryl was retrieving three bolts from his target when he heard his brother's truck pulling into their driveway. Merle had been gone since Friday night, and honestly hadn't been home much since Tuesday. He'd pretty much slept and changed clothes there during the week, and hadn't even bothered to come home for those things Friday and Saturday.

He'd been so fucking pre-occupied since his favorite piece of ass got back in town late Tuesday night. The woman had been on vacation for three weeks visiting her younger sister who was doing a study abroad program in Switzerland.

Merle had about three or four women he called up and fucked around with on the regular. Others that he'd randomly pick up in bars and never bother with again. The elder Dixon didn't ever go without pussy and he loved to brag about what he was pulling. Daryl didn't see where he had much to brag about with some of the women he chose to get with. But Merle saw any conquest as an accomplishment.

The girl he'd been with the last few days, the one he'd been fucking with on and off for a few months now, she was alright, though. He supposed she was an attractive enough woman, she carried herself well, she was educated, and she didn't hesitate to put Merle in his place when she felt he was out of line with her. Honestly, Daryl didn't know what the fuck she was doing with Merle. If she wanted to, she could be in a relationship with someone. Someone who gave a damn about her for more than what was between her legs.

He'd once heard Merle tell her on the phone when she booty called him that he couldn't come right then because he had a bitch at the house he was about to bend over his bed. But that if she gave him about an hour or two he'd be glad to come put it to her, too. Daryl expected to hear the woman scream at him through the phone and tell him what a low down son of a bitch he was. He was floored when Merle pushed the speaker phone button and she'd purred that she'd make him cum ten times harder than the other girl and that he better be there before midnight. After Merle hung up the phone Daryl had asked him why in the fuck was still with him and why she'd wanna fuck him knowing he'd just been with another woman. Merle had chuckled and said, "the bitch likes a good fuck and I got a big dick and know how to work it."

Later, he learned she could almost rival Merle with the amount of guys she had on the side lines. He supposed his brother was right, she just liked to fuck. It wasn't his business, so he didn't really ask about it or get into it often. If they were happy with how things were, he didn't give a shit one way or the other. It wasn't like it really affected him either way.

"She finally sent your ass back home?" Daryl asked Merle, after he stepped out of the truck.

"Yep. Baby brother, no matter how good the sex is, it still don't stop us from wanting to fucking rip each others throats out after a few days. Besides, if I don't go get some ass that ain't half as good, I won't appreciate hers as much."

"Whatever floats your boat, man." Daryl shrugged.

"You should try it some time." Merle quipped. "I'm sure I could talk her into letting you have a slice."

"Nah, bro, I'm good." Daryl would rather chop his own dick off before ever entertaining the idea of sleeping with a woman he knew his brother had been with. Not that he had any interest in the woman even if she wasn't Merle's own peronal pin cushion.

"Suit yourself. But remember, don't use it, you lose it."

Daryl snorted at him and walked inside to put his crossbow back in his room.

Merle followed his brother in the house and into his room. He leaned against the doorframe as Daryl hung his crossbow on the wall. "What the fuck have you been doing the last few days? Being your usual awkward fuck self and hanging around the house by yourself like a damn loser?"

Daryl scowled at him. "I missed having you around so fucking much when you're not here. You know that?"

"I know you do." Merle grinned, crossing his legs at his ankles. "Now, tell me what you've been up to. Maybe hiding out in here jerking off thinking about the pregnant lady next door."

Daryl walked past his brother, bumping his shoulder with his own the way out of his room. "You're such a sick bastard." He muttered, walking to their fridge and pulling out a Gatorade, gulping it down.

"Why? What's wrong with her? You don't think she's pretty?"

Daryl wiped his mouth, feeling the red liquid pool around his mustache. He glared at his brother. "Ain't nothing wrong with her." Daryl barked. "Didn't say she wasn't pretty. Told you before, she looks just fine."

Merle swiped the Gatorade bottle and took a large sip of his own, grinning wickedly, he decided to see if he could get more of rise out of his brother. "Yeah. Yeah, I know you did, little brother. Say? Have you had anymore dinners with her lately?"

Daryl forcefully grabbed his bottle back, sloshing some of the liquid on the floor, narrowing his eyes on Merle.

"I'll take that as a yes." He continued to grin. "Bet you spent a lot of time with her while ole Merle was gone. A lot of time getting to know her." He leaned his hands against the kitchen counter and started thrusting his hips. "Probably got to know her all night long."

Daryl shoved Merle causing the older brother to slam his abdomen into the counter, knocking the wind out of him. "I hope you fucking get syphilis." Daryl mumbled, grabbing the keys to his bike heading for the door.

Merle growled and held his stomach. "I'm gonna get you back for that you little prick. Where the fuck you think you're going?"

"What are you, my damn daddy?"

Merle grinned wickedly. "Bet you're going next door. Then again, her car ain't here. Maybe you're going to some place secret to meet her. Slip it to her real good on some dirt road somewhere nobody will see you. Just bend her over you're bike and go to pound town."

Daryl blushed, even though his back was turned and his brother couldn't see his face, growled low in the back of his throat, and flipped him the bird as he walked out the door. "I'm going to Rick's, you dick gobbler." He slammed the door behind him, causing it to shake the house.

()()()

Carol and Lori decided to go back to the boutique after they left the frozen yogurt place. After browsing for a while, Carol picked out a few items she could wear to work and then they left. Lori dropped Carol back off at her place, but she only stayed there long enough to put her new clothes up before she was headed off again. Annette had invited her over to eat dinner with them and the kids tonight.

Carol had tried hard to push thoughts of Lori's speculation that Daryl had a crush on her as far out of her mind as she could. But her aunt and uncle had made that hard to do over dinner. They'd parade her with questions about both Dixon brothers. "How do you like living next to Daryl and Melre? What do you think about them? Do you like them? Daryl's such a sweet boy when you get to know him, isn't he? Merle's a bit abrasive, but he has a heart of gold hidden underneath that rough exterior." The just went on and on about both of them until she thought her head was going to explode.

And to top it off, Annette had shoved a Tupperware bowl full of left-overs into her hands, insisting she drop it off to Daryl and Merle. She said that the poor boys never got a proper meal because they didn't have a good woman around to look out for them and that she wanted to make sure they got their bellies full tonight.

Carol planned to stop the food by and high tail it home. She wanted nothing more than to climb in her bed and drift off to sleep so she could shut her mind off. She'd been wrestling with herself ever since Lori opened her mouth and planted that seed in her brain earlier. But she knew if she saw Daryl in person tonight the chances of her falling to sleep easy were going to be slim to none.

When she pulled in the driveway, however, she was surprised to find that Merle's truck was the one at home that evening and Daryl's motorcycle was the one that was gone. She couldn't help the small part of her that wondered where he was, who he was with, but she quickly squandered that thought, reminding herself that it wasn't her business.

She considered not even bothering to drop the food by, but quickly decided against it when she realized Hershel might ask Daryl and Merle how they liked Annette's pot roast at work tomorrow. She clutched the Tupperware bowl to her chest and slowly walked to the brother's front door. She tapped on it lightly a couple of times before Merle answered it, wearing nothing but a pair of very tightly fitting, black boxer briefs. She gaped at him.

Merle waggled his eyebrows and grinned lasciviously. "Like what you see, darling?"

Her eyes swept over his toned body. Taking in an eye full of his sculpted arms, broad shoulders, toned, hairy chest, all the way down to his equally hairy, defined legs. She forced her mouth closed and her lips formed into a tight line. She shook her head at him. "Nope. Can't say I'm too impressed." And truthfully, she wasn't. His body was nice enough, she supposed, but he didn't do it for her. Not the way she knew it would have if his younger brother came to the door wearing the same outfit.

His eyes flicked to her pregnant belly and then met her blue eyes. "Pfft. You're a damn liar." He leaned in closer to her, pressing his lips against her ear and whispering seductively. "I bet you ain't got none in months. You gotta be itching to have someone hit your sweet spot. Ole Merle could take care of that for you. Take care of it real good. No one would ever have to know."

She leaned into him and whispered into his ear. "You wanna know a secret?" He nodded and the corner of her lip turned up. "Not even your dirtiest, crudest fantasy version of me is interested in that ever happening."

He stepped away from her and gave her a crooked smile. "Oh, but she is, she's very, very interested. And very, very dirty. I think you are too, you just don't wanna admit it."

"Keep on dreaming, Merle." She rolled her eyes at him and shoved the Tupperware bowl into his chest. "Uncle Hershel and aunt Annette wanted me to stop this by to you and Daryl."

He studied the contents and licked his lips. "Hell yeah! I love Annette's cooking and I'm starving. I think I'll heat this up now."

"Save some for your brother." She reminded him.

"Ahhh. Fuck him. He ain't here right now. You snooze, you lose."

Carol fidgeted with her hands a bit and bounced on the balls of her feet. "Say...where is he anyway?"

Merle didn't miss it. The curious look in her eyes as she asked about Daryl. He could have told her he was at Rick's, but he what would the fun in that be? "Don't know. Just know he ain't here. Maybe he went down to the bar or something."

"Oh...alright." She couldn't hide the tinge or disappointment in her voice. "Well...tell him I said hey, I guess. Goodnight, Merle." She turned to walk away.

"Hey, wait a second!" Merle called out.

She stopped and turned on her hells to face him.

"You two? You been hanging out a lot while I been gone?"

She was perplexed by his question. She wondered if he had the same inkling about Daryl that Lori did and it made her uncomfortable because she had no clue where Merle might take such a suspicion. "A little. I invited him over for dinner last night. We had a good time. He asked if we could do it again sometime and I told him he was welcomed whenever he wanted to drop by. Your brother's nice. I like spending time with him and I get lonely by myself over there."

Merle pursed his lips and studied her quietly. "Remember when I told you sometimes I might ask you something and it's gonna come off kinda dickish?"

She nodded carefully.

"This is probably gonna be one of them times."

She sighed in annoyance, sure she wouldn't like where this was going. "What are you trying to ask me, Merle?"

He motioned to her belly. "You trying to find yourself a daddy for that kid? A husband to take care of you? That what your interest in my little brother is?"

She placed her hands on hips, biting down on her lip to push back the anger that specific question evoked. "Tust me, Merle, If I wanted to lock someone down as a daddy for my daughter, as a husband for the sake of having one, I would have taken my ex-boyfriend back when he found out I was pregnant."

"I thought you said the dude ran out on you and the kid?"

"Sophia's father did abandon us." She clarified. "But I had a boyfriend before him. A nice guy. A guy that wanted to marry me. But I didn't feel that way about him and I ended things. When he heard I was pregnant and alone, he showed up at my door one day. He said he'd take me back. He'd raise Sophia as his own. That he still had the ring and that we could get married and be a family. The three of us."

"Why the fuck didn't you let him?"

"Because he wasn't Sophia's father." She snapped. "It's not his burden to bare...and more importantly, I don't love him. I don't wanna spend my life with him. And I'm not going to settle for just anyone because I'm pregnant and the world thinks I can't do it by my damn self! It's not fair to Tobin, it's not fair to my child, and it's damn sure not fair to me to be with someone I don't wanna be with just because some people think I have to be. So, don't worry, Merle. I'm not trying to weasel my way into your brother's life and trick him into falling in love with me and marrying me and playing daddy to my kid. You can rest easy." She stormed off back towards her side of the house. "Enjoy your pot roast!" She yelled over her shoulder.

()()()

Carol felt bad that she'd gone off on Merle like that. She knew how blunt he could be. She should have expected it. He'd even let her know his question was gonna come off bad before he asked it, but she couldn't help how angry it had made her that he even thought that. What kind of person did he think she was? Who would do something like that?

She was furiously scrubbing at a bowl in her sink, trying to take her mind off of it. She had a dishwasher, but she'd opted to wash dishes by hand tonight to occupy herself. "Asshole." She muttered to herself as she scrubbed even harder.

A knock on her door broke her out of the rage she was in. But it wasn't the front door, instead, it was the door that led to the other side of the house, which meant only Daryl or Merle could be on the other side. Briefly, she wondered if it was Merle coming to apologize, but he probably didn't feel like he had anything to be sorry about. Maybe he was coming to have it out with her for snapping at him.

She let the bowl fall into the sink, washed her hands, and dried them off with the hand towel beside the sink. She walked to the door, clenching her fist and preparing herself for the verbal throw down that might be about to take place.

But she was in for a surprise when she found Daryl on the other side of the door. Awkwardly chewing on the nail of his thumb while the other hand was shoved into his pocket. She let the anger drain from her, but couldn't help the strained, "hey," that slipped off of her lips as she recalled Lori's earlier words.

"Hey." He muttered. Not bothering to tear his thumb away from his mouth.

She glanced at him expectantly, he'd been the one to knock on her door, yet here he was standing in front of her, not appearing to be have anything at all to say. "Can I help you with something."

His eyes flicked down to her belly and then back up to hers. He shrugged and finally dropped his thumb. "Merle told me you dropped food by for us. It was good."

She smiled. "I can't exactly take credit for that. Annette made it. I just delivered it."

He gave her a small nod. "Well, uh, thanks for dropping it by."

"You're welcome." She replied, sweetly.

He struggled with something more to say. But he wasn't good with words and conversation, luckily for him, she was better than he was at it.

"Did you have a nice Sunday? I noticed your bike wasn't here."

"It was alright." He muttered. "Shot my bow for a while. Then went to Rick's. Just got home not long ago."

She wondered if he was here because Merle told him what happened between them and the thought made her stomach knot up. "That sounds nice." She forced out.

"Mhm." A heavy silence settled between them and his heart started hammering against his chest even harder than it had been before. He pulled his other hand from his pocket and used his index finger to pick at the stray piece of skin dangling on the side of his thumb. "Nice night outside...feels real good. Full moon's out. I...um...I was gonna...go for a walk."

"It'd be a pretty night for a walk." She agreed.

He wanted to ask her to come with him, but the words weren't catching in his throat. It'd be so much easier if she asked if she could come with him. That's how he'd made friends with Rick and Glenn, they relentlessly asked him to do shit with them. Fuck! He chewed at his bottom lip and dug deep down until he forced the words out. "Wanna take a walk with me?"

The words left his mouth at such speed and so muffled she had to play them back in her head a few times to understand them. She probably should have made an excuse. Told him she needed to finish the dishes or that she was tired and it was time for bed. "I'd like that." She replied before she even had a chance to talk herself out of it.


	15. Chapter 15

Carol put on a pair of sneakers and joined Daryl for his walk. They strolled along in silence as they made the descent down their long, narrow driveway. Daryl left a person length space between the them and his hands were shoved deep in his pockets as they stepped in tandem.

Over the years, Carol had learned to pick up on the subtle signals that a man was interested in her. She'd known Tobin liked her well before he ever asked her on an official date. One heated gaze from Ed at that conference and she'd known he wanted to have his way with her. Both men, and others she'd dated before them, had always shown clear, outright interest in her. Letting their eyes slide up and down her slender frame, lingering on certain assets far longer than they should have. Stepping into her personal space, making any and every excuse to be as physically close to her as possible.

That's why she had a hard time fully wrapping her head around the idea that he might have a crush on her. If she even accidently brushed against the man he'd flinch like she was a hot iron, searing his flesh. He couldn't get away from her fast enough if she touched him, save for that one time the other night she reached out to stop him from leaving. He'd flinched at first, but didn't pull away in the end. He let her hand linger, just that once. But now, it was like he wanted to make sure there was distance between them. As if he didn't want to chance the fact that she might actually bump into him.

And where other than men that were into her had always kept their eyes on her when they talked, most of the time Daryl wouldn't even meet her gaze. The only part of her body he seemed to gawk at and she'd noticed him pay extra attention to was her protruding belly, which was the least sexy thing about her in her opinion.

She didn't fully understand where Lori got such an idea. Grown men interested in women didn't act like that. Middle-schoolers did.

"Which way you wanna go?" Daryl asked when they reached the end of their driveway.

Her train of thought was interrupted by his voice. She hadn't heard what he'd said, she'd been too lost in her own mind. "Huh?"

"Left or right? Which way we going?"

She glanced at the road to the right first, which led to the entrance of their quiet neighborhood. She hadn't walked that way, but she passed by the other houses each day, she'd seen the trees, she knew what was beyond their road that way. "Left." She told him, opting for a change of scenery and a chance to explore the rest of the neighborhood. She hadn't yet driven all the way down their road.

"Alright." He nodded, beginning to head left.

"You know? I'm a little surprised you're not walking through the woods. I would have figured that was more of your style."

"It is." He grunted. "But it's dark and even with the moon out like it is you can't see all that good. Snakes are crawling and I don't think it'd be too good for...you know?" He cleared his throat and his voice dropped lower. "That bun in the oven there if you got bit."

"Bun in the oven?" She couldn't help but look over at him and smile at that.

"Uh huh." He shrugged his shoulders slightly. "Ain't you ever heard that before?...Because...you know?...She's still...cooking in there and shit...ain't ready to pop out."

"Aren't you quite the philosopher?"

He side eyed her, his muscles tensing, feeling the slightest hint of anger thinking she was making fun of him, but when he saw the corner of her lip was turned up, the tension drained from him. "Stop." He muttered.

She could have kept teasing him, but he was talking now and she didn't want him going back into his shell, so she did as he asked. "Speaking of snakes?" She wondered aloud. "You haven't seen any in the yard or anything? Have you?"

"Mhm. I have. Killed a big ass rattler out by the shed when me and Merle first moved in. Son of a bitch was all coiled up and ready to strike. Had my gun in my pocket and shot his ass."

This time Carol tensed and she stopped in her tracks. "You're kidding, right?"

"Nah." He reached into the left pocket of his jeans and pulled out a Beretta Nano. "Always keep a gun on me. Shot the son bitch dead right then and there."

She studied the small, black pistol and shook her head at him. "I meant about the snake. Not the gun."

"Oh." He shoved the gun back in his pocket. "Yeah. I was being serious. He had 10 rattles. I can show you if you still don't believe me. I kept it."

She shuddered. "That won't be necessary."

He noticed and raised a brow at her. "You scared of snakes or something?"

"Yes! Why wouldn't I be? They're scaley and they have fangs and their eyes are all slitty and they bite you!"

"Only the venomous ones have slits for eyes. Ones that ain't, they got round eyes. And King snakes and rat snakes are good. They eat the bad ones." He noticed she was looking at him funny. "What?"

"Nothing. It's just most people say poisonous when they're talking about snakes. Not venomous."

"Well, that's because they ain't poison. You eat something and it kills you or makes you sick, that's poison. You can eat a snake all you want and it ain't gonna kill you. Hell, me and Merle ate that one that I killed. Venom from the bite is what'll kill you."

She was impressed that he knew the difference, most people used the words interchangeably, but the fact that he'd eaten his kill made her stomach lurch. Her face squished up in disgust. "You ate that snake? That's so...ew...no...just...no."

"Nah. It's good. Tastes kinda like chicken." He gave her a sideways grin. "I can save some for you to try next time I get one."

"No thank you. I'll stick to the real thing."

"Don't knock it until you try it. You'd be surprised at what you'd end up liking if you'd give it a chance."

She felt a flutter in her stomach at his words and she paused her steps, reaching a hand over her belly.

He came and stood next to her, unfamiliar worry bubbling in his gut at the way she was clutching her belly. "What? Something wrong?" His voice came out foreign to his own ears, almost panicky.

"No. Not at all." She assured him, moving her hand up and down over her belly. "I thought I felt her kicking. But I guess she stopped. She's already stubborn. I'm probably in for it when she actually gets here."

He scraped his bottom lip with his teeth and bounced on the balls of his feet. "Does it feel weird?"

She looked up at him curiously. "Hmm?"

"Her...umm...moving around in there." He motioned to her belly. "It don't feel weird?

It hit her just then that he was actually talking to her more than he probably had since he met her, and he was actually asking her questions for once, instead of her having to pry information out of him. Involuntarily, her face lit up. "Ummm, yeah, it does feel really weird actually. But in the most amazing way."

"What's it feel like?"

She pursed her lips and pondered how to describe it. "It can be different depending on how she's moving, I guess. Umm. Sometimes...sometimes it's like, just a little twitch, or a nudge. Sometimes it feels like those pangs you get when you're really, really hungry. Just then, it kinda felt like, I don't know, like butterflies were flying around in there."

"Butterflies?" He scoffed.

"Yeah. You know?...Umm...It's that feeling you get when you're around someone you have a huge crush on or when you're in love for the first time."

He slowly shook his head at her. Because he didn't know what she was talking about at all. He'd never had a crush on anyone in his entire life. He'd never let himself get close enough to someone to feel that way about them. He damn sure hadn't even been close to falling in love.

Well, there goes Lori's theory, she thought to herself. And strangely enough, she felt disappointment that she'd found some confirmation to debunk what her new friend had told her. It should have been relief. "Have you ever ridden a roller coaster?" He nodded and she continued talking. "Kind of how your stomach feels going down that first drop. It feels like your heart falls into your stomach, but it makes you feel all warm and tingly at the same time."

A look of understanding washed over him. "Kinda like indigestion? I been having a lot that shit lately. It's a pain in the ass. Tums ain't even been helping. Stomach stays in damn knots. But it ain't just there. My chest has been tight as hell too. Like somebody's sitting on it or something."

"Sure." She chuckled. "You having heartburn from living off of a primary diet of pizza is comparable to the miracle of my daughter moving around inside of me or the wonder of falling in love for the first time."

His face fell and he started to feel guarded again. "You making fun of me?"

"No." She smiled, warmly. "I'm definitely not doing that. I'm teasing you. There's a difference."

"And what's that?" He grumbled, folding his arms across his chest.

"Making fun of you would be mean. I wouldn't do that. Teasing you is just for fun. Like you were teasing me about cooking up fried snake for me."

"Wasn't teasing. Think you'd like it." He muttured. "In fact, I think I'll leave the next one I find on your doorstep."

She glared at him in horror, but before she knew it he was wearing that lopsided grin of his again and her features softened. "You're an ass." She chuckled. "The relation to your brother is starting to shine through." She watched as he rolled his eyes at her, his arms fell to his side, and he motioned with his head for her to start walking again. This time when they fell in pace together he didn't leave a person length between them, just a hand length. And his hands weren't shoved in his pockets, they were loosely dangling at his side.

()()()

They walked together until they reached the end of the road. It was a dead end and there was a mound of dirt and five yellow posts set up blocking the entrance to what appeared to be a dirt road. The post in the middle had a stop sign on it, which was littered with several bullet holes. Daryl reached his hand out and ran his fingers over the jagged edges of one of the particularly large holes.

"Is this your handy work?" Carol asked, remembering the gun he'd pulled from his pocket earlier.

"Nah. I ain't been down the road this far before. Didn't know this was here." He pulled his hand back from the sign and let it rest beside him. "Besides, that hole right there, it didn't come from no pistol. It came from a shot gun."

"You know a lot about guns?"

"Yep." He brought his hand down to his knee. "Been shooting since I was this big."

"You had a gun when you were that young?"

"BB gun. Got my first riffle when I was...I don't know...eight or nine. Merle gave it to me for my birthday. Busted his ass washing cars and cutting grass to get it for me."

That gave her a glimpse into a side of his brother she wouldn't have suspected from what little she knew of him. She thought about the conversation she had with Merle earlier and how protective he seemed over his younger brother. And she realized maybe he hadn't meant to come off as bad as he had with his question. Maybe he'd just been worried about his brother and trying to look out for him. "You two are pretty close, huh?"

He shrugged a shoulder. "He's my brother. He's a giant pain in my ass, like a fucking hemroid I can't get rid of, but we look out for each other. Always have." He turned away from the sign and faced her. "You ain't go no brothers or sisters?"

"Nope. It was just me. Something went wrong when I was born and my mom had to have her...lady parts...taken out." Even in the moonlight, she could see the faint blush on Daryl's cheeks at her words and she didn't miss how he looked away. "Maggie, Shawn, Beth, they're kind of like siblings to me, I guess. I spent a lot of time with them growing up after my dad died. Hershel tried hard to fill his shoes and be there for me as much as he could. But I'm so much older than them, we didn't get to have the same type of relationship you and Merle probably did as kids."

"Pfft. Mine and Merle's relationship growing up was pretty much him kicking my ass just because he was bigger and he could."

She had no trouble envisioning Merle terrorizing his younger brother. She nodded towards the stop sign. "Come on. Let's keep walking."

He warily looked to the mounds of dirt and then back to her. "You sure you're alright to do that?"

"I'm pregnant, Daryl, not handicapped. Remember when I told you that when you asked if I needed a ramp built?"

His face flamed again. "I just...I don't you to want to fall or nothing...don't want the baby getting hurt. I' don't know what's back here and It's dark, even though the moon's out I can't see as good as I could during the day."

"I think Sophia and I can handle it." She pointed to him. "You go first and help me up if you're that worried." Her suggestion made a horrified look wash over his face and she sighed, frustrated with herself for her own blunder. "Sorry. I know you don't like me touching you. I just thought it might make you worry less about me busting my ass."

"It.." He sucked in a deep breath. "It ain't you or nothing...It ain't personal...I just...I don't like anyone touching me."

She started to ask why, but quickly stopped herself, assuming he'd shut down if she pried too hard. She felt lucky that the communication had gone this well so far.

He let out a heavy sigh and started walking up the mound, when he reached the top he reluctantly extended his hand out to hers. She looked at him quizzically, but he kept his hand out-stretched. "You coming? Ain't got all night."

She slowly placed her hand in his, not missing how it quivered as he held his grip on hers. His hand was large, rough, and calloused, yet somehow, her small, dainty one fit perfectly in his and it sent a wave of electricity she had no business feeling surging through her. He kept her hand firmly gripped in his as he stepped down the other side of the dirt mound and she gingerly eased herself down. She didn't think he gave her balance half the credit it deserved, but it was sweet that he seemed to be so concerned with the health of her unborn child. She knew right then he'd be a ferocious papa bear if he had a child of his own.

"You lived here when you were younger, in this town, you got any idea where this road goes?" Daryl asked as they began their stride down the red dirt path.

"I'm not exactly sure." She admitted. "But I have a good guess."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. This county, it used to mine slate. It was big industry here a long time ago. When they were done digging there'd be these huge pits left from where they'd mined. A lot of times they'd dig so far they'd hit natural springs or, over time, the pits would just fill up with water."

"You think there's a quarry out here?"

"I think it's a good possibility. There were a lot of them once upon a time. When I was a teenager people used to use them for swimming holes. This one I went to, the water was the prettiest color blue you'd ever seen, almost like the Caribbean. But a kid I went to high school with drowned in one and they stared getting really strict about letting people near them. They built gates, or put up blockades, kinda like the one back there to keep people out."

"Damn."

"Yeah. It was really sad. He was a grade below me. I didn't know him well...but still. Now that I'm going to be a mother, I can't even imagine losing a child. Losing my own mother tore me apart, I couldn't imagine how much more it would hurt to lose your child."

Daryl felt his throat constrict at the mention of losing a mother, recalling the events surrounding the loss of his own. He almost slipped up and opened his mouth to talk about it, to talk about her, but he caught himself and pushed it back down. He'd probably talked to Carol more tonight than he'd ever talked to anyone he barely knew. And he wasn't really sure why. He couldn't explain it any more than he could explain the strange draw he had to be around her. To seek her out. All he knew, was that she was easy to talk to. There was some sort of weird connection there and it allowed him to open up a part of himself up to her in a way he couldn't with most people. It was a refreshing feeling, but a terrifying one at the same time.

"Did they have anything like that where you grew up?" Carol asked, changing the subject once she noticed how silent he'd become.

"Huh?"

"Quarries."

"'Oh. Uhhh. When I lived out near Sandersville, yeah. We had something kinda like that. Chalk holes. They'd mine the clay and leave the pits and let them fill up with water. A lot of them were dangerous, though. Clay can be kinda like quick sand. Sunk down to my knees once when I was out swimming with Merle. Scared the shit out of me."

"Did you live there long?"

"Nah. Didn't even finish the school year. Mama moved us down there because step-daddy number two got a job at the chalk mine. Marriage ain't last six months and we moved to Hawkinsville to live with one of her cousins for a while."

"You had more than one step-dad?" She looked stunned at his admission.

Fuck. He'd done it again with her. Dropped his guard and opened his stupid fucking mouth about shit he didn't even wanna talk about to begin with. "Yeah." He dismissed, like it wasn't a big deal. "Mama wasn't really big on being alone, I reckon." He expected her to dig deeper, to ask how many men his mother had married, but she surprised when she didn't prod any further. He was thankful she dropped it.

"You've a lived lot of places in Georgia, which one's your favorite?"

That he could answer. It was an easy one that didn't require too much thought. "Right here."

"Really? This little town?"

"Mhm. Like it here. Ain't too many people. Lots of woods for hunting. Plenty of fishing holes. Got a few friends here. I like my job."

"I like it here too." She readily agreed. "I didn't realize how much I missed small town life until I came back. Or how much I missed seeing my family regulary." She stopped her pace and stared off into the distance. The moon was shining down, providing a good visual on what appeared to be a cliff about twenty-feet in front of them. "Think I found it." She pointed straight ahead. They made their way towards her discovery and sure enough, they found a cliff with a water supply below. Carol lifted her eyes to to the star filled sky above her, then flicked her eyes down below to the water where you could see a perfect reflection of the moon bouncing off of it. "It's beautiful out here."

"Mhm." He'd been taking in the same scene she had when he noticed her moving closer to the edge out of his peripherals. "What the hell are you doing?"

She gently squatted down until she was sitting on her butt, then dangled her legs over the edge, swinging them back and forth freely. "Just enjoying the view." She patted the ground beside her. "Sit."

He tentatively made his way beside her and settled down next to her. She had her hands planted palms down on the ground and when he went to maneuver his into the same position he must have miscalculated how close they were sitting, because his pinky brushed against hers. He tensed immediately and instinct was telling his body, almost begging it, to jerk his hand away and shove it into his pocket. But some unfamiliar feeling and some strange voice in his head, one that sounded strikingly similar to Merle's told him, "Just leave it you stupid fucking pussy. Stop being such an awkward fuck for once in your life and act like a normal grown ass man."

She must have noticed the tips of their pinkies were touching and that he hadn't made a move to tear them apart, because she looked up at him and grinned behind closed lips, her blue eyes shimmering as the moonlight reflected off of them. And despite the fact that his heart was pounding like it might explode right out of his fucking chest, despite the fact that his breath quickened and he felt like he might have a panic attack, he forced his muscles to relax. He forced himself to remain just like that as the two of them stared into the night and fell into companionable silence.

()()()

The walk home had been quieter than the one to the quarry, but the moments of silence hadn't been uncomfortable for him. He'd simply found he'd run out of things to say for the night and she seemed to be okay with that. He was grateful, because most people would have pushed him to talk or tried to fill the quiet with idle chatter, causing him to reply in gruff mumbles and grunts.

"Guess this is your stop." Carol announced when they were a few feet in front of the door to his place.

"Reckon so." He replied, feeling a nervous sensation brewing in the pit of his stomach. He'd done good on that walk. He'd managed to get through most of the night without being awkward and flighty. He didn't wanna fuck up at the end of the night.

"I had a good time Daryl. Thanks for inviting me to come with you."

He cracked his knuckles, feeling overcome with a need to occupy his hands. "Maybe we can, uhhh, do it again sometime?"

"Yeah." She nodded eagerly. " I'd like that a lot. Maybe even during the day? I'd love to get some pictures on my phone. I bet it's even more breathtaking then."

He shifted his hands to his side, letting his thumbs rest in either pocket as his other four digits remained on the outside of his jeans. "Alright." His chest started feeling tight again and his stomach was twisting. Stupid fucking heartburn and indigestion, he thought to himself. He hadn't even eaten pizza in days. He even had a real, home-cooked meal tonight.

"Alright. Hopefully, we'll do that soon then. Good night Daryl."

"Night." He replied, standing in place, watching her mount the stairs back to her part of the house. He didn't look away and move to head for his door until he watched her step inside and close hers.


	16. Chapter 16

Carol practically leapt from her spot on the couch and ran to open her door when she heard the tell-tale sound of knocking coming from the other side. She fumbled with the lock, having some trouble managing to turn the dead bolt in her haste. Finally, she turned it in the right direction and snatched the door open, breathing a heavy sigh of relief as she saw her cousin, Maggie, standing behind it. "Thank God you're here, come inside." When Maggie didn't walk right in, Carol rapidly waved her hand at the younger woman. "Come on. I need to talk to you." She hissed.

Maggie was staring wide eyed at her older cousin's flustered face and had to bite back a laugh at the frantic mood that seemed to be driving her. It fit the tone she'd had when they'd spoken on the phone earlier and Carol had insisted Maggie come over the moment she had a chance. Carol wasn't usually erratic, she was almost always calm and collected, the one Maggie could always turn to when she was seeking sound advice, but now, now it seemed Carol was in desperate need of sound advice on something herself. Fear rumbled low in her gut as she briefly let herself consider that something might be wrong with her unborn cousin. "Is everything alright? The baby, is she okay?"

"No...well...yes." She hastened when she saw the look of panic on Maggie's face. "Sophia's fine. Don't worry about her. She's been doing summer saults all morning." She let out a shaky breath and waved for Maggie to come inside, yet again. Her blue eyes vigilantly scanned the yard, and when she was satisfied whatever she was looking for wasn't there, she let them land back on Maggie's green ones. "I'll tell you everything. Just come inside."

Maggie nodded carefully and stepped around her cousin and inside the small kitchen.

"Did you bring everything?" Carol eagerly inquired.

Maggie held up the plastic bag in her hand and giggled. "I've got all of it." She pulled out a chair with her free hand and set the bag on the table, instantly starting to riffle through it. "Dr. Pepper and Cheese Balls. It's all there." She took a seat and rested her head in her hands, giving Carol a small smile. "Now, are you gonna tell me why you're running around like a chicken with it's head cut off?"

Carol pulled out a chair for herself, then reached into the bag, grabbing a Dr. Pepper and twisting the cap off, as she took a seat. The soft drink hissed and fizzled and Carol's lips ran over the rim before the contents could bubble out. She placed the drink down after taking a small sip and shook her head. "This would be so much easier with wine. I wish I could have wine. I miss wine...and champagne."

"Well, for the sake of my unborn cousin's health, let's make sure you keep abstaining from that. No matter how much you want it." She smirked.

Carol groaned and hung her head miserably. "That's my whole problem."

"What? Abstaining?" Maggie's brow furrowed in confusion. "Were you some closet drunk before you got knocked up?"

"NO! This isn't about alcohol." She barked, immediately regretting her tone when Maggie flinched. "Sorry. I'm just...in a mood."

Maggie chuckled then. "Oh, I get it. It's the insanely horny thing again, right? Living next to Merle, and especially Daryl, has you raging with an intense lady boner."

Carol scowled at her. "No...not...not exactly." Her features softened and she propped her elbows in the table, resting her head in her hands. She couldn't look at Maggie when she said the next part of her confession. She didn't feel like her cousin would understand. "Daryl...it's Daryl."

Maggie reached out and gave Carol's forearm a gentle squeeze. "Sweety, you don't have to be embarrassed. You already told me you'd rip his clothes off if you got the chance. It's the hormones. I get it."

"It's not that!" She wailed. "I mean, it's part of it...but it's more...it's just...so complicated."

"Look at me." Maggie insisted, pulling Carol's hands away from her face. "You can talk to me about anything. You can tell me anything. I'm here to listen. You talked me through losing my virginity for God's sake. In pain staking detail." She emphasized, shaking her head to rid herself of the explicit details Carol had gone through in regards with what to expect her first time. "You might be older than me and I may have no idea what you're going through right now, but I can lend you an ear. I'm sure it'll help to get it off your chest. And this is me, Carol, I won't judge you for it. Whatever it is, you can tell me."

Carol clasped her hands together and sucked in a deep, calming breath. She began twiddling her thumbs as she met Maggie's eyes. "Daryl...he's...he's a sweet guy. We've spent a little time together lately. Umm, I had dinner with him, I told you about that, at his place, with Rick and Lori."

Maggie nodded, letting Carol know she was following her and she could continue.

"Then, then he came over here Saturday. I cooked for him. Nothing big, something simple. A BLT and fries. We talked. It was a nice. I told him I wanted to be friends. He said he'd like that."

"That's good. You can't ever have enough friends. And Daryl's a good guy. A bit aloof, but he's got a good heart."

"I think you're right, Maggie. I really do."

"So what's the problem? Is it about Ed? Are you worried about the kind of guy that's gonne be around your kid? Because, if that's it, I gotta say, you don't have anything to worry about. Not with Daryl, not even with Merle. The worst thing that could happen is your kid's first word will be fuck or something."

She let out a whimper and shook her head. "Just...I'm not finished."

"Go on then."

"This doesn't leave here."

"It won't."

"I mean it, Maggie, not eve Glenn can know." She insisted firmly.

"I promise, Carol. Whatever you say, it's between us."

She nervously ran her finger around the rim of her bottle. "Lori...I went shopping with Lori yesterday. And she uh, she had an interesting opinion about Daryl...Daryl and I." Maggie's face scrunched in confusion and Carol decided to stop beating around the bush. "She said she thinks he has a crush on me!"

Maggie was unable to hide her shock. "Really?"

"You don't have to sound so surprised! I know I look like a manatee."

"No, Carol, no. That's not it. You're beautiful. Any man, I MEAN ANY, would be lucky to have you."

"Just not right now..."

"Even right now." She insisted. "It's just...Daryl's...he's different...you know? I just...I've never really seen him into anyone. ANYONE. He's not like Merle. You know? He's just really closed off. That's why it's weird for me to think about him liking anyone."

"I know what you mean." Carol admitted. "I kept running it through my head after she said it. Practically all evening and then all night. I kept trying to rationalize away everything she said. I kept comparing my experiences with every guy I've ever dated, every one I've ever slept with, and he didn't act interested in me the same way any one of them ever did." She took another sip of her Dr. Pepper. "But...I realized something...he's not like every other guy I've met. He's so different...in so many ways. I don't...I don't think I know anyone else quite like him. Maybe a few students I've had over the years, but they were adolescents. Not adults."

"You're right, Daryl is different."

"But I kept trying to tell myself he was still a man. He still has to have sexual desire if he's interested in someone, he has to have a tell. There's gotta be something to give it away. But then...he kinda showed up at my door to thank me for the food Annette sent to him and Merle and he asked me to go on a walk with him..."

"Daryl Dixon asked you to go on a walk? He initiated the effort to spend time with you?"

"Mhm. He did."

"How'd that go?"

"He was quiet at first. Really quiet. But he finally started talking and we had a good conversation going. You know? It was...nice. We walked all the way to the end of the road, out past the stop sign at the dead end, and we kept walking down the dirt path. He even reached his hand out and helped me up." She saw the puzzled look on Maggie's face and nodded. "I know...I couldn't believe it either. But that's not even the weirdest part...we kept walking until we got to this quarry and I...I sat down and dangled my legs over the edge...I told him to sit down beside me and he did...when he did he touched.."

Her mouth gaped and her eyes were wide as saucers. "Wait! What!"

"Let me finish!" Carol hissed.

"Sorry."

"He touched my pinky...with his pinky...and he didn't pull back...he just left it there. The whole time we sat there talking...our pinkies...they were...touching." Carol rolled her eyes at herself at how ridiculous it must sound that she was making such a big deal out of something so small. "It's silly, I know. It's something my middle schoolers would have freaked out about."

"Honey, middle-schoolers get farther than that on the first date." She chuckled.

"I know...I know...but I just thought maybe...maybe it meant something...or worse...I think that I thought I wanted it to mean something."

Maggie's voice grew soft and extremely serious. "You like him, don't you?"

"I...I..." She struggled to find the words. "I think I do." She finally admitted, barely above a whisper. "That's crazy, isn't it?"

"Why would that be crazy?"

"Because I'm six months pregnant and have no business getting involved with anyone right now. Because he's my landlord. Because...he obviously has his own baggage that he's carrying, and I don't mean that in a bad way, I just mean it's obvious he has some hang-ups and he probably doesn't need me and my daughter complicating his life. And I'm not even sure he would want me to anyway...I mean...just because Lori thinks he likes me and we touched pinkies, that doesn't, that doesn't many anything. Not a damn thing."

"You wanna know what I think?"

"Probably not." She groaned, but I probably need to hear it."

"I think you think that being pregnant and being a single mom means you have to stop living your life and it doesn't."

"What?"

"You heard me, Carol. I think it's amazing you already love Sophia so much and you're willing to sacrifice so much for her. Moving here so she can grow up around family. Being cautious about who you let in your life. That's great and it's what you should do...but...you still have to think about yourself and your needs to."

"Thinking about my needs got me into this situation. I can't just go jump into bed with someone I barely know."

"I'm not telling you to knock on the damn door and drop your parents for him! That's not how it would work with Daryl anyway. It's just...he's shy...it wouldn't work. If he likes you...he may not even realize he does. And when he does realize it...it's probably gonna scare the hell out of him."

"Because I'm having a kid? Do you think that if he likes me he'll hold back because of Sophia?"

"No! What in the hell is up with you thinking someone can't like you because you're pregnant or they won't want you because you're gonna have a baby?" Carol's shoulders shrugged and Maggie sighed. "My dad was a single parent when he met Annette, and guess what, so was she. He met her and raised Shawn as if he was his own, and she raised me and Beth just like we were hers. Just because Sophia's father is a selfish asshole doesn't mean some man isn't gonna come along and love you and your daughter with everything he's got. You've gotta get that out of your head, Carol. It's not healthy and if you keep thinking that way you're gonna convince yourself it's true and you won't even be able to see it when someone is obviously interested in you."

"But you just said.."

"Not because of the baby. That's not why. I just don't think he understands things the way you and I do in regards to relationships and women. I don't think he's ever felt that way about someone before and I think it would be scary to him, realizing he cared about someone for the first time at almost thirty-years old."

"So you think I should let it go? Even if he does have some sort of crush on me, that I should just, pretend he doesn't and let myself get over the one I have on him?"

"You really like to assume shit, don't you?" Maggie grinned. "You know what they say, it only makes an ass out of you and me."

"Well, if you'd just tell me what I should do!"

"I'm trying to if you'd let me finish." She griped. Carol nodded and Maggie took it as an invitation to finish her train of thought. "Get to know him. Spend some time with him becoming better friends. See where it goes. I'm not saying you should wait forever on the guy to see if something ever comes of it. Especially not after Sophia's born and your life settles back into a routine. I'm just saying that as you're finishing out this pregnancy and getting to know Daryl, feeling things out with him, it could be good for you. It might help you get your confidence and trust back with men in general. And who knows? Maybe, in time, it'll go somewhere with him. Maybe it won't. Maybe he doesn't like you like that. But I do know for a fact that he feels comfortable with you and for some reason he wants to be around you. If he didn't, he wouldn't be trying to spend time with you. And that's a big deal for him too. Trust me, Glenn had to force him to hang out when they first met. It was horrible, like pulling teeth."

Carol drummed her fingers on the table. "I can do that...I can hang out with him...get to know him better. That's reasonable."

"Perfectly reasonable." Maggie replied, reaching out to grab the cheese ball container and proceeding to pop one into her mouth. "Seriously though. Please, Carol, don't feel guilty about having feelings for someone. I know you have to take the time to think it through, now more so than you ever did before, but it doesn't mean you have to be alone for the rest of your life."


	17. Chapter 17

**I've wanted to write on this really badly for days but every time I'd sit down with my laptop, all my motivation would fly out the window and I'd hit a brick wall. Here's what I was finally able to produce. Hope you guys are still liking this one.**

Daryl and Merle hadn't long been home from work when Merle got the bright idea that they should hit up the bar this particular evening. At first Daryl protested, arguing that it'd be cheaper to just go grab a case of beer and stay at the house if Merle wanted to get drunk that bad. He even tried to use the excuse of the painful burn he'd inflicted upon his own hand earlier at work when sparks from the weld he was doing flew back and scolded his flesh because he wasn't wearing his welding gloves as a reason not to go out.

The burn hurt like a son of a bitch, but not bad enough Daryl actually needed to stay inside and nurse it all night, he just assumed it might be a more acceptable excuse to Merle than saying he'd rather not go out and be around a crowd of people or a bunch of drunk, overly-willing women practically spreading their legs open for them.

His excuse hadn't worked, however, and resulted in Merle saying, in a mocking tone, "aw, poor baby. Do you got a little boo boo?" Then scowling at him and calling him "a little bitch that needs to go wash the sand out of his vagina and come the fuck on before he shoved his foot up his ass and made him."

They proceeded to yell horrible insults at each other for the next five minutes.

"Your fucking birth certificate is an apology from the damn condom factory!" Daryl spat at Merle.

"Oh yeah?" He scoffed. "Well, the only way your gawky ass would ever get laid is if you crawl up a chicken's ass and waited!"

"I wasn't born with enough fucking middle fingers to let you know how much I can't stand your ass."

"Say, what sexual position produces the ugliest kids? You should probably ask your mama."

"Your mama is my mama, you fucking dumbass. I swear you're the fucking reason gene pools need lifeguards."

Merle paused, realizing he'd unintentionally insulted himself with that one. He quickly recovered and bounced back with, "As an outsider, what do you think of the human race?" He smirked smugly at that, thinking it would prick at Daryl's self-consciousness..

If it did, Daryl didn't let it show. "If I wanted to hear what an asshole had to say, I'd fart."

"Our parents must have kept the placenta and thrown out the baby when your ass was born."

"Your cock's so small the bitches that you try to fuck gotta use it to floss their teeth just so they can get something useful out of it."

"Why don't you stop all this yapping and save your fucking breath to blow up the only thing that you'll ever get close to putting your pecker in."

"If shit was music.." Daryl began, but was cut off from the sound of knocking coming from the door that bridged the distance from his place to Carol's.

"Ah, shit." Merle muttered, knowing that the only person producing that knock could have been Carol. He thought back to their conversation the other day and how she lit into him and his first thought was that she was coming here to tear him a new asshole, again.

Just worse this time, because it'd be in front of Daryl and he'd have to explain what he said to piss her off so bad in the first plae. Daryl probably wouldn't take too kindly to that.

Merle was well aware of the shining his baby brother had taken to the pregnant lady next door. The subtle, bashful glances, the way he went out his way to spend time with her when he usually avoided people like they had the damn plague or something, especially women.

That's why Merle had said what he did to her. Not to be a jackass, but because he cared about his little bastard of a brother and he didn't want him getting hurt. Even if he gave the fucker a hard time, he was the only person allowed to fuck with him.

Daryl might be too shy and inexperienced to make a move on her, but he'd genuinely thought Carol might have noticed that little crush he had on her and been planning to use it for her and that baby girl's advantage. And even though Daryl hadn't ever had a girlfriend before and his overall experience with women was lacking, as much as he shut people out and refused to let them in, Merle knew his brother well enough to know that once he found one that caught his eye, once he let himself get attached, that'd be all she wrote on Daryl's part.

He'd be like a fucking penguin, he'd think he was mated for life or some ridiculous shit like that.

A woman with an ulterior motive could play Daryl like a fiddle if he ever let himself get close enough to fall for her, which is exactly what he thought he saw happening with Carol. Whether or not Daryl was aware of it himself just yet, there was something there on his part. Some look in his eye he'd never seen the boy have before, one Merle damn sure hadn't ever had in his own eyes.

"Shit? Why'd you say shit?" Daryl growled at his brother, not missing the almost worried look he was wearing. "What the fuck did you say to her now?"

"Nothing. I ain't said a damn thing out of line." He barked. "I just...I realized I gotta take a shit. You go on ahead and answer that door, would you? I'm gonna drop a deuce."

Daryl's eyes narrowed, but he didn't have a chance to second guess his older brother before he was high tailing it towards the bathroom in his bedroom at the other side of the house. The knocking grew slightly louder and Daryl shook his head and stalked off towards the door. "Give me a sec to unlock it." He murmured to Carol through the door, grabbing the key off the hanger and swiftly twisting it into the lock. When it was unlocked and he pulled the door open she was standing in front him, offering a shy smile and fidgeting with her hands as they rested atop her swollen belly.

He was suddenly struck, once again, by that overwhelming tightness in his chest, accompanied by a fluttering pain that was making it difficult to breathe. An unfamiliar chill swept through his body, tingling from his spine all the way down to his toes.

"I hope I'm not bothering you." She told him.

He shook his head in an effort to let her know she wasn't, unable to form words at the moment, too preoccupied with the foreign, almost frightening, feeling encompassing his whole body. He brought his thumb to the corner of his lips and started working at the cuticle, and that's when he noticed that despite the chill that had just swept over him, his hands were clamy.

"Are you okay?" She asked him, her smile fading when she couldn't help but notice that he didn't look like he felt well. She knew he was bashful, she was used to his awkward mannerisms, but there was a troubled look about him just then that had her thinking something more was going on.

He cleared his throat, afraid that if he spoke without doing so he'd sound like a twelve year old. "Fine." He muttered more gruffly than he'd intended to as a result of his throat clearing.

"You sure? Because I can go if you're not feeling well. I didn't mean to bother you."

"NO!" He shot out so quickly and desperately it surprised even him. "Just...uh...heartburn again. That's all. Ain't nothing. It'll go away in a few. You ain't bothering me."

She nodded and gave him sympathetic look, her own body relaxing some as she dropped her hands from her belly to her sides. "Tums still aren't helping, huh?"

"Nah. Well...I don't know...ain't took none yet today. Kinda just flared up, but don't usually help none."

She pointed over her shoulder towards her apartment. "I've got some Maalox if you wanna try something different." She suggested. "I'd got heartburn pretty bad around my four month mark. It really helped me and I'm pretty sure I've got a bottle I kept on hand in case it came back."

He was willing to try any fucking thing at this point to see if it helped. He didn't understand where this had come from all of a sudden, he'd never had heartburn before in his life up until about a week ago. Now he was starting to worry he'd drop dead of a heart attack by the time he was 30. "Sure, if you got some and you don't mind sharing, I'll try it."

"I can go grab it and bring it to you." She offered, then her voice grew a tad bit dejected. "I was gonna invite you to eat dinner with me, I cooked a lot and I know I won't finish it all. But since you're not feeling well, I guess you're probably not very hungry.

Without even having to think about it he shook his head rapidly and didn't hesitate to assure her that wasn't the case. "I can eat with you. In fact, I'm starving."

"Oh. Okay. Great." Her face lit up and the shy smile she'd worn earlier was replaced by a warm one. "Do you want me to bring the food over here? I noticed your brother's truck was home and he's probably hungry too."

"No!" He spat. She shot him a funny look and raised a brow. He let his voice grow softer and rubbed at the back of his neck and his eyes flicked down to the floor. "It's just...uh...Merle's going to the bar. He ain't gonna be able to eat with us."

"I'm not interrupting your plans to go with him, am I? Because It's fine if you had something to do. I promise, it won't hurt my feelings."

"Nah. It's fine, wasn't going with him no way. Besides, I'd rather hang out with you." His face felt like it was on fire as soon the words left his mouth, he wasn't even sure where they'd come from, they'd just rolled off of his tongue. He cringed and began to gnaw at his bottom lip, unable to meet her gaze, letting his eyes rest on her belly like it so often seemed to do. "You know...crowds...they ain't really my thing." He murmured in an effort to try and save himself.

"Right." She replied, her voice unreadable. "Well...the food's ready, if you wanna come over now?"

"Yeah, uh, yeah. Give me a sec and I'll be right over?"

()()()

He watched her walk back to her side of the house and once her door was closed he let his forehead fall against the wall. Why had he said he rather hang out with her than go out? She probably thought he was some kinda weirdo. It was true, what he'd said. Hanging out with her this evening was far more appealing than hitting up the bar with Merle, or even staying in by himself, but he hadn't meant to say it out loud.

Daryl placed his palms against the wall in an effort to push himself away from it. He swept his good hand, the one he hadn't burned earlier, over his face and sighed. Merle probably wasn't going to take too well to him hanging out with Carol over going with him.

When he rounded the corner of the kitchen he found his brother standing on the other side of their refrigerator, arms folded across his chest, hands resting under his armpits. "Thought you were taking a shit?" Daryl said.

"Must've been a turtle head." He mumbled, eyeing Daryl curiously. "Say, how long you been having heartburn?"

So Merle was listening to their entire conversation. "Don't know. Why?

"When'd it start?" His brother prodded again, a shit-eating grin lining his lips.

"Uh..." Daryl scratched his chin in an effort to remember. "Don't know exactly. I told you that already."

"Probably bout the time that little gal moved in next door, huh?"

Daryl shrugged as he realized Merle was right, not long after Carol had moved in he had started with his strange symptoms. "What's your point?" He growled.

"Oh, nothing. Nothing at all baby boy." He chuckled. "You'll figure it out...eventually."

"Figure what out?"

Merle shook his head in pity at Daryl's naivety. "You'll see." He walked over to the kitchen table and swiped his truck keys. "Going to the bar. If I get too fucked up come get me when I call you. I can't get another DUI."

"You ain't gonna hound my ass to come?" Daryl asked with a puzzled look.

"Nah, you're busy."

"That's it? You were busting my balls like hell not even fifteen minutes ago!" He huffed.

"Well, that was then and this is now. Go on ahead and get to where you're supposed to be and let me go get fucked up like I wanna."

What the fuck? Daryl thought to himself.

"Oh, and one word of advice little brother."

"Advice?"

"Yep." Merle nodded as he headed for the door. "When you start feeling all awkward and bashful and shit and feel the need to look down because you can't stand to look in her eyes no more, stop about six inches before you get to her belly. Trust me, you'll enjoy the view that shirt she's got on is gonna give you."

 **Kind of a short chapter and I know things are still kind of slow for now. We'll get to moving, eventually, as long as I can pick my groove back up on this one.**


	18. Chapter 18

**Thanks for reading and reviewing! Glad you all are still enjoying.**

His brother was such a fucking pervert. Telling him to look down that lady's shirt. What the hell was wrong with Merle that he thought it was just okay for Daryl to gawk at someone woman's tits? A pregnant woman's tits, no less. Granted, Daryl kinda had done that already when she was in the tank top that night, but that was accidental, not purposeful. They'd just kinda been there and caught his eye. And Merle didn't even know he'd stolen a glance. Carol sure as hell didn't know what he'd been looking at.

And what the fuck had he meant that Daryl would find out eventually about why he was getting heartburn? Had that psychopath been poisoning him or some shit? Slipping something in his food or drink to cause this sort of strange reaction that randomly seemed to flare up? Was it all some big joke to him? It wouldn't be the strangest form of a practical joke Merle had played on Daryl if it was.

Daryl shrugged off all thoughts of Merle in general as he made his way over to Carol's.

When he knocked on her side of the door he heard her call out and tell him, "it's unlocked and I'm in the kitchen," so he went ahead and turned the knob and let himself in. He made his way through the tiny living room and the sight of the second bedroom door being open caught his eye. The room was still bare, nothing but white walls and that horrendous brown carpet he wished like hell he'd of insisted to Merle that they change before Carol moved in.

He assumed that this room was probably going to be the baby's room. Yet she didn't even have as much as a crib in there. Unlike the fully decorated room Lori and Rick already had for their unborn son. He paused in front of the doorframe and began to chew at his bottom lip. He was picturing the room with pink walls and a pine wood crib and dresser set, much like the one his best friend had waiting for his unborn son. He couldn't help but wonder if the reason the room wasn't set up just yet was because of the fact that, unlike Lori, Carol didn't have a boyfriend or the baby's daddy to take care of stuff like this. And that thought was something that stirred an inexplicable feeling within him. One that was a heated mixture of irritation and...what was it? Sadness? Sorrow? Regret? Pity? Duty?

Fuck if he knew.

"Did you hear me?" Carol asked, walking into her living room and moving to stand behind him when he hadn't joined her in the kitchen.

He shook his head at the sound of her voice, trying to break himself out of his thoughts. He cleared his throat, turned to face her, and tried to push back the pink blush threatening to rise on his cheeks. He felt like a complete creeper for standing in her doorway, staring off into an empty room in her house. "Sorry, uh..." He turned his head and pointed towards the bedroom, then looked back to her. "Door was open. Saw the room didn't have nothing in it. Guess I just...I don't know." He rubbed at the back of his neck and shrugged a shoulder. "Noticed it was empty."

She placed her hands on her hips and eyed him curiously. "Well, it was kinda empty when I moved in. The whole house was. My landlords didn't bother to furnish it for me." She teased.

"Assholes." He mumbled in an attempt to play along.

"The older one is." The corner of her lip turned up slightly. "The younger one, not so much. At least not yet."

He grinned behind closed lips and his blue eyes twinkled for a moment, even as the blush crept it's way up his face and spread across his cheekbones. He kicked the heel of his boot over the carpet and looked down, then back up.

She forced herself to ignore how adorable he looked and focused on the fact that she was trying to build a friendship with him. "You hungry, Daryl? Food's ready. Don't wanna keep a pregnant lady waiting. My baby's gotta eat, after all."

He nodded, tossing one last glance over his shoulder and into the empty room, the following her on the short walk to the kitchen.

()()()

"I cooked lemon pepper chicken and rice and we've got broccoli and corn on the cobb on the side. Is that okay with you?" She asked him as she reached into her cabinet to grab two plates.

"Uhhh, ain't never had that chicken stuff before, but I reckon so. Sure it'll be good."

"It's delicious." She assured him. "My mom used to make it all the time when I was growing up." She grabbed some silverware and went to hand him his plate. When he reached out to take it she gasped when she noticed the large, swollen, area on his hand. It was red and irritated, with an angry, almost yellowish, bubble-like blister. If she hadn't of had their plates in her hand, she would have instinctively reached out to inspect his wound. "Oh my God! What? What happened to your hand?"

He lifted his hand and rotated it about, inspecting it closely for the first time since he'd left work. He'd pretty much blocked out the throbbing pain up until this point, too preoccupied between her unexpectedly inviting him over, his brother's conversation with him, and the empty room that belonged to the baby on the way. "Ain't nothing." He dismissed. "Got a little burn from work. Happened before. It'll heal."

She shook her head rapidly and placed their dinnerware on the counter. "That's not a little burn, Daryl!" She insisted, rather sternly. "Sunburn is a little burn, that, that's at least second degree. Did you even clean it? Did you put something on it? What did uncle Hershel say? Did you tell him?"

She was freaking out about this way worse than he had. He'd only muttered a few cuss words when it happened and kicked the shit out of the wall that was next to him. In retrospect, that hadn't been the best idea. It only succeeding in making his foot hurt on top of everything. "Calm down. Said I'm fine. Hershel made me wash it and clean it up at work and bitched me out about not having my gloves on like I should've. Went on and on about some OSHA bullshit and not wanting to get in trouble."

"Why didn't you have your gloves on?" She chastised. "If you know you're supposed to wear them, why didn't you have them on?"

"Forgot to bring them this morning. Didn't think to ask no one to borrow any. Like I said, I'm fine. Happened plenty of times before. Last guy I worked welding with wasn't like your uncle. Didn't give a damn about OSHA or shit like that. He ran this place out of a shop in his backyard, building trailers and shit. Didn't even make us wear masks." He held up his other hand and showed off a discolored scar, beginning at the area just below his thumb and extending to the base of his middle finger. "Got this one, I don't know? Four years ago?"

Her brows furrowed and her bottom lip poked out. "You're lucky a flame never came back and put your eye out. That was very dangeorous" She nodded to his hand. "Does it hurt?"

"Sure as shit don't feel good."

"I've got something that'll help. Give me a minute and I'll go get it."

He sighed in frustration. He wasn't used to people making this big of a deal over him being hurt. Even when he was a kid and he scrapped his knee or busted his head. His mom, Merle, or one of his step-dad's would tell him not to cry. Just to suck it up and be a man about it, not a little bitch. "Let's just eat. You said you were hungry. I told you, I'm fine. I don't need..."

"Stop being such a...well...such a man." She chuckled and grew persistent. "Let me help you. I won't take no for an answer. It's my new stipulation for sharing my food with you."

He folded his arm over his chest and let his good hand come to rest under his armpit. "Fine." He grumbled once he realized she wasn't going to give it up until she let him take care of it.

()()()

Carol retreated to her bathroom and cut a few meaty leaves from the bottom of her aloe vera plant. She plucked the spines from the leaves and split it straight down the middle, pouring the contents from the leaves into a small rinse cup. She then returned to the kitchen where Daryl was waiting on her, leaning up against her counter with one arm still crossed at his chest while the other dangled at his side. She stepped in front of him and held out the cup. "Aloe vera. It's good for burns and it'll take some of the sting out."

With anyone else she probably would have just grabbed their hand and went to work doctoring it, but she knew how Daryl was about touch and how easily spooked he was overall. She'd learned to be tentative with him. "I can apply it if you like, or you can do it if you'd be more comfortable with that. All you have to do is dab your finger in the cup and smooth the liquid over your burn."

Daryl flicked his eyes to the cup and back to Carol. He anxiously scrapped his bottom lip with his teeth. "It's fine. You can, uh, you can do it. If you don't mind."

"I don't mind at all." She assured him. She held out her free hand to him and turned it palm up. "Let me see it."

He very hesitantly extended his injured hand to hers. He could already feel it trembling when she gently grasped it in hers. He knew his shakiness had a lot more to do with the fact that she was touching him than it did with the pain he was feeling from the burn. He just hoped she chalked it up to the latter instead of the former. It was embarrassing to him, being damn near thirty years old and reacting that way whenever someone laid a finger on him. But it wasn't something he could help.

"Relax." She told him, her voice gentle and soft. She placed the rinse cup on the counter and dabbed her index finer into the aloe. She looked up and met Daryl's eyes. "This might hurt a bit when I'm applying it, but it's gonna help in the long run. So don't pull away, even if it's unpleasant."

The look in her eyes was so tender, so caring, and her voice so soothing, that he simply nodded in agreement. He kept his eyes on her as she gingerly went to work applying the aloe. He couldn't help the way he hissed when the tip of her index finger first came into contact with his seared flesh.

She grimaced and looked up at him apologetically. "Sorry. I know it hurts."

"Its alright. I'm fine." He muttered through gritted teeth."

Her left hand was holding his as she continued to tenderly and tentatively apply the rest of the aloe over his damaged skin. Using her left thumb, she delicately stroked the other side of his hand in slow, circular motions to help soothe him and ty take his mind off of the pain she was inflicting by doctoring him. Her eyes darted to his crystal blue orbs and she offered him a sweet smile as she finished up. "You're much more relaxed now." She commented, noticing how his hand was no longer shaking and the painful look on his face had almost dissipated. "Guess the aloe's already starting to help ease off the pain some."

Her hand was still clasped in his when she spoke and he was hyper aware of the fact that her thumb was still slowly circling his skin, sending a sharp tingle all the way up his arm, cascading it's way throughout the rest of his body. Her feather light touch was such a contrast to him from the feel of his own coarse, calloused hands.

His eyes had been trained on the motion of her thumb as she traced it over his skin, but when she spoke he lifted his eyes to meet hers. The moment they connected, he could've sworn he felt his heart skip a beat, his pulse pounding hard through his veins. He couldn't talk, couldn't speak, because that unwelcomed tightness he'd grown accustomed to feeling in his chest lately was bubbling low in his gut, working it's way up to constrict in his chest.

Moments passed, neither of them saying a word, intense silence filled the room, a silence so heavy Carol knew she'd have been able to hear a pin drop. Her hand was still clutching his, her thumb continuing it's path of light caresses across his skin, occasionally dipping it's way down and over his wrist, then working it's way back up near the base of his pinky. She knew she probably should have let go by now, she should have dropped his hand and told him it was time to eat, but she didn't want to. She was enjoying how genuinely relaxed he seemed right now, how at ease he was with her ever so innocent touch.

An immense, unfamiliar feeling was welling within Daryl. It was a nervous feeling that was tinged with a bit of frustration, all enveloped in a heady excitement he was sure he'd never experienced before, not even once in his life. It was invigorating, yet terrifying. Sweet...but...slightly...arousing?

The gentle, easy way she was touching his skin probably shouldn't be sensual to him in any sort of way, yet somehow, he found himself growing increasingly turned on, especially the higher up on his arm she'd let the tip of her thumb start to venture. He allowed himself to grow so relaxed that he was able to get lost in the moment, his eyes dropped from hers and landed on her lips, soon his gaze dropped lower, until it was dipping down towards her breasts. His tongue snaked out and traveled over his bottom lip as he took in the sight that the shirt she was wearing allowed to him.

Merle had been right, it provided a hell of a view.

Merle had been right?

That thought broke him out of his lust filled haze and he could feel his eyes grow wide. What the fuck was that shit? Had he seriously let himself look down her shirt like that? AGAIN! To just blatantly stare down at her tits right in front of her? He was mortified with himself and it made him feel like a disgusting pig...or worse...like Merle.

She didn't deserve for him to ogle at her like that. To look at her like a piece of meat. She didn't deserve the completely out of character, for him, thought that crossed his mind. One where he reached out and cupped her ass, pulling her flush against him and locking his lips on hers in a fiery kiss.

Holy Fuck! What in the hell was going on with him?

In a panic, his eyes quickly flitted away from her entirely and he snatched his hand back, earning an unexpected gasp and an, "I'm sorry," from her. His chest was starting to constrict and he wanted nothing more than to leave a Daryl shaped hole through her door in an attempt to get to the safe confines of his own home, but the surprised, almost hurt tone in her voice kept him in frozen place. He struggled within himself to find words, anything, something to divert the attention from his odd behavior. "Food." He choked out, his voice raspy.

"What?" She asked with raised eyebrows, not understanding exactly what was happening now and internally chastising herself for making him grow so uncomfortable.

"Food." He repeated, with a little more bearing this time. "You invited me to eat. We...uh...we should eat...the baby should eat...baby needs food." He pointed to her belly. "You know? Uh...your baby. That baby...the one in there. Right. In. There."

If he was more like Merle, if he had a bit of fucking game, an ounce of confidence, and if he lived in some weird, alternate universe where a woman like that would actually wanna fuck around with a loser like him, that baby in her belly probably would've been dodging being poked at and bounced around right about now.

That was wrong, wasn't it? Wanting to fuck a woman carrying another man's baby?

But it didn't matter, did it? Because he wasn't Merle, and even if she would bend over the counter for him, he wouldn't do that to her. She'd been through a lot with her baby daddy ditching out on her and the kid and he wouldn't ever dream of doing anything to take advantage of her. Okay, maybe he'd dream of it, but he wouldn't ever act on it, even if he had the balls or experience to. Which he obviously didn't.

Carol brought her hands up and crossed them at her shoulders, nervously running her fingertips up and down her arms. She nodded, sucking in a deep breath. "Food. Right. Good idea." Great job, she thought to herself. She'd made him a nervous, bumbling wreck. That was probably two steps back from the direction she wanted this friendship to take.

()()()

Somehow, after an excruciatingly long silence, the two of them ended up settling into conversation again over dinner. Daryl ended up in a semi-relaxed state, which was honestly a fairly normal state for him. He was always teetering on the edge of spilling over into some sort of emotion.

Anxiety. Anger. Uncertainty. Trepidation. Those were the ones that seemed to prevail the most.

But sitting with her, talking to her, it had a rather calming effect on him. Even if being touched by her had caused his strange outburst earlier. Sitting across from her and being in her presence seemed to settle him for the most part, even if he occasionally felt that pang in his chest as they talked. He'd eventually asked her to try some of that Maalox she'd offered him before. Just like the tums, it did nothing to help.

"I take it you liked it." Carol said with an amused grin as she eyed his empty plate. Daryl was still trying to scoop scraps up off of the edge of the plate with his spoon.

"Damn good." He muttered, lifting his spoon and placing it at the edge of his lips, flicking his tongue out and licking off the last little bit of his meal he was able to savor.

Carol had to bite down on her bottom lip to push back a whimper as she watched him, finding the sight of his tongue swirling over the spoon strangely sexy. "Glad you liked it." She managed to get out without conveying the dirty thoughts swimming around in her head at the moment.

"Hey...um." He anxiously ran his hand across the back of his neck. "Just wanted to say thanks. For...you know? Doctoring up my hand and all."

She smiled at him. "You're welcome. I'm glad it's feeling better. I can send a few aloe leaves home if you'd like? It'd probably be good to put some on it everyday. Oh, and make sure you put antibiotic cream over it too. And keep it washed and clean." She reminded him. "I don't want you getting an infection."

As weird as it was for him to have someone staying on his ass about taking care of himself, he found that he was staring to appreciate it. Even if he had found it a bit annoying at first. It caused an unfamiliar warmth to spread through his chest, one that made him feel important. And he sort of liked feeling important to her. He wasn't sure why, but he did.

"Ain't you supposed to be a teacher, not a doctor?" He teased, trying hard to deflect his feelings before they overwhelmed him and not wanting to break out into a fit of awkwardness and hesitation again.

"I am a teacher." She replied. "And as a former teacher of six graders for many years, I have a lot of experience in boo boo fixing."

He picked up his hand and waved it in front of him. "Reckon you are pretty good at boo boo fixing." He snorted. "Don't hurt no more. Ain't hurt none the since you put that stuff on it." It hadn't bothered him since she finished with the aloe, not even after he snatched his hand away and he was no longer being distracted by...well...whatever the hell that ended up being.

She thought about teasing him and telling him she forgot the most important part, which would be kissing it and making it better, but with how weird things had gotten earlier, she decided that joke probably wouldn't be best right now. She stood up and reached for his plate instead. When she picked it up she let her eyes meet his, feeling guilty about earlier and wanting to make sure she hadn't done permanent damage, even if he seemed okay now. "Listen...I'm...I'm sorry about earlier...I...I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable...I just...I thought...I didn't..."

"It's alright." He butted in. "You didn't..." He blushed and looked down. "You didn't do nothing wrong...It felt good. What you were doing..." Problem had been it felt a little too fucking good. Pink crept up his cheeks as he remembered the naughty thought that had crossed his mind. "I was just...fuck...I don't know." He sighed, swiping a hand over his face. "Can we just forget it? Like we did earlier and go back to talking like we was? I like talking to you." He mumbled out barely above a whisper.

Tension drained from Carol and she nodded to him, a smile playing at the edge of her lips. "Yeah. Sure. I like talking to you too." She held up both of their dirty plates. "I'm gonna put these in the sink. You think you'd be up for a walk after...or maybe a movie..." She pondered what else to suggest if he said no to both of those suggestions, not ready for him to go home just yet.

"Walk sounds good." He told her. "In fact, I need a pack of smokes. Store's right down the road. About a mile, maybe a bit more? You up for going that far?"

Truthfully, she really wasn't. She was up for a light stroll around their neighborhood, but not a one mile trek. Her feet had been sore today and she thought they might even be a bit swollen. But instead of speaking up and telling him no like she should have, she jumped at the chance to spend the extra time with him. "I'd love to go on a walk with you."

While Carol was walking to the sink, a series of loud rings erupted out of Daryl's pocket. He pulled out his phone and groaned when he saw the caller ID show his brother's number. He shoved his phone back into his pocket without answering it in a fit of annoyance."Uh, you think I could get a rain check?" He asked Carol, offering her a sincerely apologetic look. "Merle told me if he called it meant he got shit faced and needed a ride. He's already got two DUI's under his belt. He don't need a third."

"Oh. Sure. No problem." She tried to hide the disappointment in her voice.

"Thanks. Sorry. I'm kinda surpised he's that fucked up this early. Hell, he usually has to be dragged out of the bar."

"It's alright." She assured him. "We can go walking another time."

"Yeah." He stood up and pushed his chair under the table, bringing his thumb to rest at the side of his mouth. "Listen, uh, Merle, he acted kinda weird when you knocked on the door earlier. It just got me thinking...he didn't say nothing else to you, did he? Nothing out of the way again? Because if he did, tell me. I'll handle it."

Daryl's voice was almost gravely as he said the last part. She decided not to disclose to him what Merle said to her. Partially to avoid the awkwardness it might bring between them and partially to prevent a discourse between the brothers. "Don't worry about your brother. I can handle him. Besides, he's kind of like a mosquito. He's annoying as shit, but he's pretty harmless, I think."

"Mosquito's carry Malaria and other diseases. They ain't always harmless." He warned.

"Well if he gets to be a problem, I promise, you'll be the first to know."

Daryl nodded. "I best get going." He turned to step towards the door.

"Oh, wait!" She called out. "Let me get those leaves for you so you'll have them tomorrow."

He waited for her while she went to the bathroom and gathered up a few more leaves, she returned with them sealed up in a plastic bag and went to the trouble of explaining to him how to retrieve the aloe. Though he could have figured it out on his own, he didn't interrupt her. "Appreciate it." He muttered as he took the bag from her. He tugged at his bottom lip before turning to be on his way. "Uh...maybe I'll see you again sometime this week? We can go on that walk if you want?"

"Yeah?" Her eyes twinkled and she smiled sweetly. "Maybe I'd like that."


	19. Chapter 19

**Sorry for the lack of updates on this one. I was just a little stuck. I have every intention of finishing this story. I can't stand to start something and not complete it.** **My next update shouldn't take as long.**

Later that night Carol was a bit surprised, yet excited, to hear a knock on her door. The door that led to the small hallway/make-shift laundry room separating her side of the house from Daryl and Merle's. Naturally, she was expecting her visitor to be the younger Dixon. She'd been disappointed when he had to leave abruptly after finishing supper to pick Merle up. So she felt a flutter of excitement over the prospect of getting to spend a small amount of extra time with him. Maybe he wanted to go on that walk after all.

But it wasn't Daryl knocking at the door this time, instead it was Merle, and the smile she had in place for the younger Dixon quickly faded into an involuntary scowl when she realized it was Merle. Somehow every time they were around each other, he had a way of saying something that got under her skin.

"What? Ya ain't happy to see me?" Merle smirked as she opened the door for him.

"Not hardly." She crossed her arms over her chest and titled her head at him. "To what do I owe the pleasure tonight? We've already covered inappropriate questions regarding the father of my child and how you think I'm planning to seduce your brother and trick him into raising my baby. Tell me, what is it now? Are you curious if I make eye contact while giving blow jobs? Do you wanna know how many people I've slept with? A copy of my last STD screening? Oh, I know! I bet your curious how frequently I masturbate." She scowled at him, clearly unamused by her own words.

Merle smirked smugly down at the tiny woman with the protruding belly. "Actually darling, I don't need an answer to the first one. See, you give off this innocent vibe, but you like it dirty. I can tell." He winked at her. "And ah, as far as that last one goes, willing to bet you'll be doing it tonight and you'll be thinking of my baby brother. In fact, I can give you a nice image to work with. He's in the shower right now. All dripping wet, rubbing soap all over his naked body, hell he's probably thinking about you too and reaching for the conditioner right about now. Squirting in his hand and getting ready to rub it up and down his.."

"You're such a disgusting pig!" She barked, then reached to close the door on him, but he caught the door in his hand and stopped her.

"Oh, come on! Can't you take a little joke?"

Glaring at him, she huffed, "Why are you here, Merle? And cut the bullshit. I know you well enough by now to know there's some agenda here."

Placing a hand over his heart and sighing dramatically, he said, "You wound me. Can't I just wanna have a chat with the pretty girl next door?"

She rolled her eyes, and for the first time, she noticed how red and glassy his eyes were. "You're drunk."

Merle rubbed his chin and grinned. "Little bit. Yeah. Not damn near drunk enough. Assholes kicked me out of the bar."

"Why am I not surprised?"

"Hey! I didn't do a damn thing wrong! All I did was try to pick up some chick. Wasn't my fault she was married and her husband got all pissy."

Carol's brow furrowed. "She wasn't wearing her wedding ring?"

"Yeah, she was. But I didn't know her fucking husband was there with her. Her ass hadn't been anywhere near him all night!"

"Goodnight, Merle." She moved to shut the door again, but once again he caught it. "I'm going to scream so loud your brother's gonna run butt naked out of that shower and drag your ass away from me if you don't let me shut this damn door!" She growled. It wasn't that she hated Merle, and she had come to sympathize with him on the fact he was just trying to look out for Daryl with his last unwarranted question, but drunk Merle wasn't something she was up for dealing with. And for reasons of her own, she had an issue with him trying to take home a married woman. She still felt sick to her stomach knowing she'd unwittingly been sleeping with a married man and was carrying his unwanted love child.

He held up his hands in surrender. "As much as I'm sure you'd like that, let's not do all that. I already got punched in the damn jaw once tonight. I don't need to have that happen again. Now, I ain't here to start no trouble. In fact, I got a favor I need to ask you. One that I think you're gonna be up for because it benefits my little brother."

Her voice and features softened a bit. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm trying to get to it. Jesus Christ, lady! If you'd stop trying to slam the door on me. Now...Where was I? Oh, right. See, the first week in August me and Daryl always go to this thing in Atlanta. It's like this big weekend hunting convention and they have all these gun and knife shows. Daryl loves the shit. Lives for going every year. And uh, this year I can't go with him. I got something that's come up. See, my favorite booty call, she booked us a cabin up in Tennessee for the weekend. She wanted to get away one last time before summer was over. Now, normally I'd tell the bitch to hit the road and that I had plans, but you got no idea how good this pussy is. No idea. Mmmm. Mmmm. Mmmmm."

Carol stared blankly at Merle. "Let me get this straight? You want me to go away for a weekend with your brother? Overnight? In a hotel?"

"Yeah."

"With your brother who I haven't even known two full weeks yet?"

"I'm not seeing a problem here?" Merle grumbled. "By the time the weekend gets here you'll have almost known him a month. Besides, don't even act like you ain't spent the night with a man you barely know before. You and I both know that'd be a lie."

"A, that's none of your damn business," she growled. "And B, you can't just randomly pick someone to go in your place. I highly doubt Daryl would be comfortable with that."

"Sure he would," Merle lied, so quickly and easily it would be hard for anyone to doubt him. "It's his idea. He wants you there. He just don't know how to ask you. You know how shy and awkward he is."

Her brows crinkled in surprise. "Your brother wants me to go away with him for the weekend?"

"Yeah. He likes hanging around you. Ain't like that's some big secret."

"Why not take Rick or Glenn or someone he knows better?"

"I don't fucking know!" He groaned. "Maybe they're busy. Look, I'm just trying to help him out here. Are you going or not?"

"Merle, Daryl's a nice guy and I enjoy spending time with him, too. But, I'm not sure I'm comfortable going away with him for the weekend with it just being the two of us."

"Oh, come on! You can't seriously think he'd try anything? Boy scares easier than a mouse. Sure, he probably wants to slip it to you, but he ain't got the balls to do it. Unless you're planning on shoving your hands down his pants and spelling out what you want to him, you're safe. He ain't no danger to you or," he pointed to her belly, "that baby in there."

"Merle, I just," she ran her hand through her short hair, "You're right. I don't think he is. I really don't. I'm just not so sure it's a good idea for a lot of reasons."

"Fuck! You're a tough sell. You know that? Tell you what? I'll work on finding someone else to go with him, but why don't you think about it in the mean time? Spend some more time with him, then let me know."

She could tell he wasn't going to leave her alone until she agreed, so finally she told him, "I can do that. I'll think about it."

He smiled triumphantly. "Good, that's what I like to hear." He glanced over his shoulder, pausing to listen for the faint sound of water still running, and lucky for him, it was still going strong. "Listen, keep this between us for now. Would you? I don't want you telling Daryl you might not go and for him to get his feelings hurt. He can be a little sensitive. Sometimes I think he's got a pussy cat between them legs."

"You're such an asshole."

"I know that darling, and I wear the badge proudly. So, we got a deal or what?"

"Yeah. Sure," she assured him, hoping it'd be enough to get him to leave.

"Good." He turned to walk off, but Carol calling his name stopped him in his tracks, and he turned to face her.

She shook her head at him, completely dumbfounded. "I don't get it."

"Get what?"

"Just the other night you were convinced I was trying to trick him into falling in love with me and raising my child. And now? Well, now you're trying to send us off on a weekend getaway. Is this some kinda trick?"

"No trick," and this time he was being honest. "I believe you. I believe what you said. That you're not out looking for a daddy for that kid, for a husband for yourself. You're just fine on your own and the more I get to know you, the more I believe you're plenty tough enough to raise that little girl by yourself. Shit, you give me a run for my money, woman, he chuckled.

"What's that got to do with me spending the weekend with Daryl?"

Merle hummed. "You met my little brother, you been spending some time with him. He's a little different. It's harder for him with people. To get to know them, to feel comfortable with them. But with you?" Merle shrugged. "Something's different about you, and I think that's good for him. Now I might be a low down son of a bitch, a big giant asshole, but when it comes to Daryl, I just want what's best for him. Always have." He tossed up his right hand. "Goodnight, Carol. And remember, think about it and let me know."

 **This was a short little chapter, but I've got most of the next one mapped out in my head and should update again Friday or Sunday. Depends on how real life goes the next few days. Thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	20. Chapter 20

Over the next week and a half Carol had spent a pretty good amount of time with Daryl. Sometimes he'd come and join her for supper. sometimes they'd go on a short walk, sometimes she'd even sit with him in his shed and watch him work on that classic motorcycle he was rebuilding. She was really enjoying getting to know him, and she loved to see how he was slowly, but surely, opening up a bit more and growing more comfortable with her.

His eyes were meeting hers more instead of flitting to the floor or landing on her growing belly. She could swear the past week seemed like it got bigger by the day. And Sophia was becoming more and more active each day. Fluttering and flipping around in there.

Daryl even seemed to be growing more accustomed to an accidental brushing of her skin across his. Whether she was reaching for something and accidentally bumped him, or whether they somehow ended up shoulder to shoulder while walking, he grew less and less tense.

He seemed to be a really good guy. And the more time she spent with him, the more that little crush she had on him seemed to grow. The more she found herself wondering if there was any merit to what Lori said about him liking her. The more she hated to let herself think of the day he went out to the bar with Merle and went home with some strange woman. The thought made her stomach sink. Even though she knew she had no right to feel that way, she had no claim on the man. He had no duty to her or _her_ unborn child. If he wanted to go out with his brother, get piss drunk, and go home with some strange woman, that was his choice.

His brother. Merle. Merle Dixon. Carol didn't know exactly how to feel about the man. Part of her loathed the disgusting comments he made, the way he loved to jump to assumptions, the way he felt like any part of her life was his business. He was crass and infuriating. But the other part of her respected him for how deeply he seemed to care for his little brother. It was his redeeming quality, and truthfully, it had carved a small soft spot in her heart for him. She still hadn't gotten a chance to know him anywhere near the level she was getting to know Daryl. He stayed gone so often, not returning home until late, sometimes being gone back to back days. And it always seemed he was off with some strange woman, though she hadn't yet seen him bring a single woman back to their house.

Her mind fell to the request Merle had made of her. How he told her Daryl wanted her to go away with him for the weekend to the that hunting convention in Atlanta. It was a decision she'd grappled with a good bit herself over the past week and a half. On one hand, it would be nice to get away. School started back the following week, and even though she'd had the summer off, she hadn't really gone anywhere or done anything. She'd been so buys getting her affairs in order, then the move itself, and adjusting to her new home. Spending time with her family, making a new friend in Daryl, and Lori and her boyfriend Rick as well. She hadn't had an actual vacation all summer.

Sure, she enjoyed spending time with Daryl, she liked the few hours a day she'd get with him several days a week after he got off work, it was nice.

But that wasn't anything compared to spending two full days and nights with him. The man would sometimes grow quiet after only an hour of conversation. And though it was a comfortable silence, she worried he'd get tired of her presence, want time to himself. And there was the fact that hunting wasn't exactly her thing, nor were guns or knives. In fact, she'd never fired a gun in her life. She knew nothing about them. She wasn't sure she'd get much out of the convention itself, other than enjoying his company.

Truthfully, those were the least of her worries. Her real concern came back to knowing she was attracted to him. Extremely, physically attracted to him. And her school girl crush wasn't helping that matter. Being cooped up in a hotel room with him all weekend? That would be torture. It would help if the portion of her pregnancy where she was turned on out of her mind would go ahead and end. She wished she could give Lori some of her libido and take the other woman's lack of sex drive. It'd be much more useful for her and Rick than it was to Carol herself right now. In fact, it was an annoyance since she didn't have anyone to scratch her itch.

She tried to tell herself that it wouldn't matter how she felt about him, that Merle was right, he was skittish. He probably wasn't going to try anything, even if he did like her, and she could certainly refrain herself as long as he did. She had some self-control. But there was the part of her that thought back to what Lori said. According to her, he was no virgin. He had a sexual appetite he occasionally fed. What if he did actually try something? Would she be able to tell him to sto? Could she have that willpower if he threw himself at her?

She'd like to think she could. She really would. But it had been a long time and her feelings towards him would complicate the matter further.

Things would be so screwed up if something happened between them. Their dynamic as landlord/tenant, their budding friendship she enjoyed so much. What would it mean if she caved in a moment of weakness? Would they be together? Would they chalk it up to a mistake? Would he ever be able to look at her again? She had a feeling if he indeed did have rendezvous with women from bars, he surely made it a point not to see them a second time.

As good of a guy as he was, she couldn't rationalize a man wanting to jump into something with her right now. Any man. Sure, maybe when Sophia was older. She was finally starting to realize that maybe then someone would want to be a part of her ready made family.

But what she had to offer now? It was swollen ankles, weight gain, birth, possible vaginal tearing, six weeks after birth of no sex, a crying newborn who depended on Carol for everything, breast feeding, sleepless nights. Then there was the fact that she could very well end up having a C-section and needing someone to help care for her after and help tend to the baby.

She couldn't be a good girlfriend to someone right now. The time it takes to nurture and develop a new relationship, all of that energy was going to have to go into bonding with her child, caring and nurturing her daughter. It wasn't fair to Sophia or Daryl, or anyone else who may be interested in her, to try and split that time up between them.

Maybe later. Maybe one day, down the road, when things were more settled for her. When she'd adjusted to being a mother. Maybe then something could happen with them if he did have feelings for her.

For now, she decided it wouldn't be in her best interest, or his best interest to go on that trip. It wasn't work taking the risk, no matter how small, that something might happen that would complicate things.

She'd just have to tell Merle she reached her final decision. That he needed to find someone else to go with his brother.

But right now? Well, right now she had to go meet up with Maggie. She was going to go with her to her first prenatal appointment with her new doctor. A doctor Lori had recommended to her, who was apparently handling the other woman's pregnancy and was wonderful. And after that, they were going to get Glenn and the two of them were going to help her start setting up her new classroom.

She'd deal with Merle and telling him to find someone else to go on that trip with Daryl tonight. She just hoped Daryl understood and that he didn't take it personally. She really hated to hurt his feelings.

()()()

"Why won't you help me?" Daryl grumbled to Rick as the two strolled the property line in the woods behind Rick's house, setting up trail camera's and deer feeders. Getting a jump on hunting season.

"Because I don't think it's your place, "Rick sighed, 'and frankly, I think it's a bit intrusive. I don't want a part in it."

"Man, I helped you out!"

"Yeah. Yeah, you did. And you know how much I appreciate it, but it's a completely different situation."

Daryl growled in frustration. "It ain't. Besides, you owe me," he pointed out.

Rick stopped in his tracks and held up a finger. "To be clear, I _owed_ you. You already collected on that when Lori and I came and ate dinner with you and Carol. And to be fair, that worked out great. They're really good friends now. So you collected pretty good on that debt."

"Yeah, it did. But to be fair," he countered, "you made her puke with that damn lasagna and I had to make sandwiches, so this could be you making up for that part."

"How the hell was I supposed to know that was gonna make her hurl!" Rick pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. "Listen, I'm just trying to help. I think your heart's in the right place here, but I don't think it's a good idea. I know you don't know much about women, but I have a pregnant girlfriend and I know how their minds work. Trust me on this.

Daryl cut his eyes at Rick, narrowing them dangerously. "I'll do it my damn self then. Finish putting your own fucking corn out." And with that, he shoved the heavy bag into his friends hands and stomped off.

()()()

Shouldering her purse, Carol made her way inside her house that evening. She was feeling quite exhausted between her doctor's appointment and all the work she, Maggie and Glenn had done to her classroom. She was happy to admit, Lori had been right. That doctor was wonderful. The one part Carol hated about making this move was having to switch OB/GYN's more than halfway through this pregnancy. She'd like her doctor back home, but had known since shortly after the beginning of this pregnancy that she wouldn't be the one delivering the baby. As nervous as she'd been about making the switch so late in this pregnancy, she felt much more comfortable after meeting with Dr. S today. He seemed to be a very compassionate man.

And as tired as she was, she was very pleased with the progress she'd made with her classroom. Aside from moving a few more books and posters in, she was pretty much done with everything. Maggie and Glenn had worked hard to help her set everything up, slaving away for six hours with her this afternoon. She hated to bother them again after all the hard work they'd put in today, so she decided she would probably get with Daryl this weekend and see if he wouldn't mind helping her move the rest and set it up. She'd even offer to pay him, though she knew he wouldn't take the money.

Daryl.

Shit.

She still had to tell Merle she couldn't go with him. It was a good thing his truck was actually home for once when she pulled in. She should probably go over there right now and tell him. No sense in putting it off any longer. The trip was fast approaching and she really hoped he'd be able to find someone to go with Daryl. Maybe she could talk Glenn into making the trip.

She placed her purse on the kitchen counter, reaching inside and pulling out her latest sonogram. She smiled at the black and white image, her daughter's face, clear and visible, sucking away at her thumb. She pulled a magnet off the fridge, one shaped like a strawberry, then used it to pin the print out up.

Making her way through her kitchen and into her living room, she headed for the door that led between her place and Daryl and Merle's. She paused in the living room, something in particular and out of place catching her eyes. The door to the second bedroom, the one that would belong to Sophia, was shut. That in and of itself was unusual, she usually left it wide open. Preferring the amount of sunlight it allowed in the living room since there wasn't a window in there. But the closed door itself wasn't what struck her as most odd. No, it was the white slip of paper tacked to the door itself.

Panicking briefly, she couldn't help but wonder if someone had broken into the house. If some murderous, intruder was inside waiting for her. But she doubted anyone could have gotten inside without catching Daryl and Merle's attention. If anyone came in here, it had to have been someone she knew. Tentatively, she stepped towards the door, slowly retrieving the piece of paper from it's place behind the thumb tack. Her eyes scanned the paper, carefully reading each word, having to concentrate hard to make out the chicken scratch.

The note read, "You might get kinda pissed about this but I felt like it was the right thing to do. Being a single mom's tough as hell, I get that more than you know. But then again, what the hell do I know? Anyway, you or that kid need anything, I'm here. I mean it, name it and it's done. Hope you ain't too mad about this and, uh, really hoping you kinda like it." - your friend, Daryl. (Least I hope I'm still your friend after this.)

Her brows crinkled as she studied the note, not completely sure of what it meant. Feeling utterly confused as to why he was in her side of the house without her being here. Carefully, unsure of what she was about to find, she opened the door. She gasped in shock at the sight before her. The formerly white walls were now a pale pink color, the hideous brown carpet had been replaced with laminate wood flooring, just like the ones on Daryl and Merle's side of the house, and in addition to all of that, was a decorative, gray S hanging on the wall.

()()()

Daryl was sitting in his room stringing up his bow around the time he heard the fierce banging on the door the led from their kitchen to Carol's side of the house. He cringed a bit, knowing Rick very well could be right and she might be about to bitch him out for this.

It wasn't his place. It wasn't his child. But all he'd been able to think about ever since he'd saw that empty room was the fact that she didn't have someone like Rick around to help her take care of that stuff. This baby didn't have a daddy to fix up her room, or spoil her, or change her tire one day, or teach her how to take care of herself, or give her an example of what to look for in a man.

Carol didn't have a husband to fix her roof if it was leaking, or patch up her sink, or change her oil, or fix her brakes, or to help through what should probably be the scariest, most exciting time of her life.

And that fact bothered him far more than it should have.

So he'd let that image of that empty room eat away at him for as long as he could, until he couldn't damn stand it anymore. And he knew she'd be gone all day today. With seeing that new doctor and working on her classroom, he knew she wouldn't be home. And he knew he'd have the opportunity to do something about that empty room. To let Carol know, to let her little girl know, not all men were sorry sacks of shit. So he'd used his spare key, the one he and Merle kept in case she lost her copy or in case she ever locked herself out, and he let himself into her house to fix up that room.

Whether or not it was wrong, whether or not he she'd get mad at him for it, he'd had to do it. He felt like it was the right thing to do.

He placed his bow on the bed and stood to answer the door, her knocks growing more rapid and frequent and Merle yelling that he needed to answer the fucking door growing louder.

And when he saw her standing there in front of him, eyes red, puffy, and tear stained, he'd really thought he fucked up. He could deal with yelling and screaming, he couldn't do tears. "Ah shit," he mumbled, feeling like he'd been kicked in the gut. "I'm sorry. I thought...I didn't mean to upset you...I just...Fuck...I'm sorry."

Carol shook head, tears running down her face, but she didn't say anything, she lunged forward and wound her arms tightly around his neck.

Daryl tensed at first, taken by complete surprise at her actions. A hug had been the last thing he was expecting. His arms hung awkwardly at his side as she stood there, clutching herself around him, not bothering to break the embrace.

"Thank you," she finally managed to whisper into his ear. "Thank you so much."

Confused, he replied, "You ain't mad?"

Keeping her grip around him, she said, "No, not at all. In fact, that's one of the sweetest things anyone's ever done for me. For my baby."

He couldn't help the proud, goofy grin that lined his lips. "So...You like it?"

"Very much. I can't believe you did that."

Tentatively, he reached a hand up and attempted to return her embrace. Though he wasn't able to wrap a full arm around her, he delicately patted her back. The top of her head was next to his nose, her arms still wrapped around him, body still pressed against his. He breathed in her scent. A clean soft, fragrance, almost reminiscent of wild flowers, nothing like his own musky, manly smell. The way her body felt pressed against his, her arms around his neck, it was warm and comforting, unlike nothing he'd felt before. And instead of all the tension he'd felt upon their initial contact, he now felt relaxed, at peace, calm, happy even. His chest started feeling warm, warmth that radiated through his body, tickling him from his spine all the way down to his toes. His stomach flip flopped and suddenly he felt like he was on some huge roller coaster, getting ready to drop down that first, breath taking hill, barreling towards an inevitable loopty loop and twists and turns. "Wasn't nothing," he muttered, his voice coming out unfamiliar to his own ears.

Finally, Carol let go of him and his hand dropped from it's careful position on her back. She stood in front of him, wiping tears of happiness out of the corner of her eyes, she smiled at him, brightly, radiantly, full of appreciation and awe. "It was something, alright. And it means more to me than you know."

He grinned like a little kid who'd just learned to ride his bike without training wheels. Full of pride for the good deed he'd done, for the delighted reaction he'd earned from her.

"Listen...Merle talked to me...And I was gonna say no. I didn't think it was a good idea. But after what you did for me, for Sophia. I can't say no. I'll go with you, Daryl. I'd be more than happy to."

His brows furrowed at that. "What are you talking about?"

"About the hunting convention next weekend? Merle said he couldn't go and that you wanted me to, but you were too shy to ask me yourself. I told him I had to think about it. I didn't think it was a good idea, but what you did, I changed my mind. I've decided I wanna go with you." When she stopped talking she couldn't help but notice the perplexed look on his face, the way both eyebrows were raised and his eyes were wide, almost as if he was panicked at the thought her joining him. "Oh God! Oh my God! He didn't tell you, did he? This was some big trick or scheme or awful joke on his part. You don't want me to go with you at all. I'm an idiot. Oh God! I'm so sorry. Forget I said anything."

She looked so mortified, so embarrassed, that he couldn't stop the next words that came out of his mouth. He couldn't bear to make her feel worse than she probably already did or to make her feel like he didn't want her around. "No. No that's not it at all. Of course I want you to go. I, uh," he anxiously ran his hand through his hair and flicked his eyes to the floor, grimacing at the lie he was about to tell. "I wasn't expecting you to wanna come. Just surprised is all."

"So...you want me there?" She asked a bit skeptically.

"Mhm."

"Are you sure? Because you've got this weird look on your face and you don't have to say that just to stop from hurting my feelings, it's fine if you don't want me to go. I get it if you don't wanna spend your weekend with me."

"It ain't that. I just," he gritted his teeth, trying not to let any anger he was feeling towards Merle show, "I can't stop thinking about how I'm gonna thank my brother for this, that's all."


	21. Chapter 21

Carol was standing there in front of him, looking extremely relived, an almost bashful smile on her face, and she was staring at him like he was the greatest fucking person on Earth for painting her baby girl's room. And the only thoughts going through his head right then centered around different ways to kill his brother for whatever sick, twisted reason was behind his elaborate ruse to get him and Carol alone together for the weekend.

His hands fell into his pockets' fearful she might lunge herself forward and throw her arms around him again, all the while a small part of him, a part he didn't understand or let himself dwell on, kept secretly hoping she would do just that. He bounced on the balls of his feet and nodded over his shoulder. "Hey, uh, I got something I need to take care of real quick. Is alright with you if I go tend do that?" He tried not to let the ill intentions he had planned towards his brother show through.

"Oh, yeah. Sure. Sorry, I didn't mean to barge over like this. I should have realized you might be busy. I really just wanted to thank you for what you did, to let you know how much it meant to me," she smiled at him, her sparkling blue eyes full of over-whelming admiration and appreciation of his kind act.

"You're welcome," he muttered, eyes flicking to the floor. He was feeling a bit overcome by how much this seemed to mean to her. He figured it would help her out. But Rick had him expecting to get yelled at for it, to be told he needed to learn to respect his place and not to let himself into her part of the house no more. He'd had no idea she'd be moved to tears by his reaction or snatch him into a bear hug.

With a luminous smile etched on her lips, she said, "I'll see you tomorrow?" More of a question than a statement.

"Mhm. After work," he agreed, without giving himself time to contemplate or say no. Hanging out with her in the evenings had become such a regular thing for him, the thought hadn't even crossed his mind to say no.

"It's a date then," her cheeks flushed at the wording she'd chosen and she quickly recovered. "I mean...well...you know what I mean."

Daryl hummed, his own cheeks feeling warm. He pulled his hands out of the safety of his pockets and placed them on the edge of the door. "See you tomorrow," he told her.

"Daryl?"

His eyes flitted up and met hers. "Yeah?" He watched her curiously as she hesitantly, full of caution and apprehension, took a small step forward. She met his eyes, gave him an almost apologetic look before she leaned in on tip toes and pressed a soft, quick peck on his cheek. The warmth in his cheeks changed into a full on blazing fire and he was positive his face was cherry red. His heart fluttered beneath his chest, and he stood frozen in place. Unable to flinch, or twitch, or move, or respond at all.

"Again, thank you," she whispered as she pulled away, shyly returning to her spot in front of him. She fiddled with her hands a moment as they stood there in a heavy silence. Finally, she spoke up. "I'll see you tomorrow, Daryl. And, I'm really excited about going to that hunting convention with you."

He forced a smile, well, a half smile. One that probably came off more creepy than it did endearing. He stayed frozen in place as he watched her walk away, keeping his eyes on her until the door to her place closed and he could hear the lock clicking in place. Still dealing with the shock that he'd be spending the weekend with her, mingled with the awe he felt from her surprising act of kissing him on the cheek, his right hand somehow found it's way to the spot where her lips had pecked his cheek. Such a tender act, one he wasn't used to. He could almost swear he could still the feel the warmth and tingle from where her soft lips briefly brushed his skin.

That tightening sensation that was growing all too familiar took over his chest and he had to suck in three steady breaths to compose himself. When he finally felt like he was back to normal he remembered the anger he was feeling towards Merle at whatever underhanded shit he was up to. His knuckles gripped the door knob tightly and he pulled it closed, being careful not to slam it. Letting out an irritated growl, he stalked off to Merle's room.

()()()

Merle's bedroom door was closed, but Daryl could clearly hear gun shots echoing into the other room from whatever action movie his brother was watching. Without a second thought, Daryl snatched Merle's door open, pulling it with such force a loud bang erupted as the knob connected with the wall. "What in the fuck is wrong with you?" Daryl growled, running towards the bed where his brother was kicked back against the headboard, about to take a bit of a sandwich.

Merle's head snapped up at the sound of Daryl's angry entrance, but instead of eliciting fear out of the elder Dixon, all it earned Daryl was a shit-eating grin. Merle bit into his sandwich, smirked smugly at Daryl, and said, "Guess she's going."

Daryl snatched Merle out of the bed by the collar of his shirt, not bothering to let go as he started to emit choking noises. As hard as he could, he tossed him up against the wall that was beside the bed. "I don't know what the fuck you're up to," Daryl gravely warned, "but whatever it is, you cut that shit out. Right now!"

Merle coughed a few times, spitting out a slobbery chunk of white bread and ham onto his floor. He didn't offer to fight back or buck up at his brother, instead, he kept that shit eating look etched on his face. "I'm doing you a favor, little brother. You should be thanking me. Now you get to spend a whole weekend with little mama over there."

"This ain't funny, Merle!" He barked. "I didn't know you invited her to go and you should've seen the look on her face when she noticed I didn't have a clue what the fuck she was talking about. You can't fuck with people like that, I ain't your damn puppet, and neither is she or that baby of hers. I swear to God, if you do anything to hurt either of them..."

Merle's smug look faltered. "Wait...So you told her she couldn't go? You told her you didn't want her there?"

"No...I couldn't! She looked so damn pitiful and sad about it when it crossed her mind that you were playing some fucked up joke or whatever the hell this is that I told her she could go and I wanted her there. You fucking lied to her and then you made me lie to her!"

Merle's grin remerged. "I didn't lie to her," he stated matter of factly. "I can't go with you. I'm going to the mountains. I ain't turning down a weekend of vacation pussy for your sorry ass just to go to that damn hunting bullshit for the 100th time."

"And you couldn't've told me that before? You couldn't've let me ask Rick or Glenn to go with me? Why the fuck did you invite Carol without telling me!"

"Because you wouldn't've!" Merle countered. "You're too much of a damn pussy, or to fucked up in the head, or too damn stupid. Hell if I know. Jesus Christ, Daryl. Sometimes I think mama had to be on that goop when she was pregnant with you. Because you ain't got a damn clue half the time."

Daryl pushed him further into the wall, tightening his grip around Merle's t-shirt. "I should put your ass through this damn wall right now."

"Do it and I'll beat your ass into next Tuesday," Merle warned, finally giving a heated edge to his words.

"Like to see you try," Daryl growled.

"Pull that stick out of your ass that's got you so wound up, would you?" Merle shook his head and changed his tone when Daryl wouldn't release his grip. "Look me in the eye and tell me you don't want her there? Tell me you'd rather Rick or Glenn be going away with you for the weekend." Merle studied Daryl's face, feeling pleased when he saw the look of realization wash over his baby brother. "Exactly my point, shithead," Merle grumbled. "I didn't lie to her, and you ain't lied to her either. Because whether or not you admit it to yourself, you want her there."

Daryl sighed in frustration and let go of his brother, taking a step back and slinging his arms. "What the hell am I supposed to do with her all weekend?

Merle waggled his eyebrows and grinned lasciviously. "Oh, I can think of a few things. You want some pointers? She's still small enough you can probably work in some really good positions."

Daryl growled and stepped towards his brother again, but stopped when Merle held up his hands.

"Now, now. I'm just teasing. Calm your tits."

Daryl bit the inside of his cheek, but he pushed all the tension he was feeling down for the moment. He held up a hand, pointing a single finger at his brother. "I'm gonna get you back for this shit. You ain't gonna know when, you ain't gonna know how, but I'm gonna get your ass back for it."

Merle snorted and rolled his eyes at Daryl. "Yeah...I'm sure you will. But one day, one day you and her and that baby of hers are gonna thank me for it."

()()()

At work the next day Daryl kept thinking about everything that happened last night, and even thought he wouldn't admit to Merle, after he got used to the idea of Carol tagging along on that trip with him, he couldn't help but feel excited about it. Excited, yet extremely nervous and uncertain of what to expect or how things were going to play out.

He enjoyed her company. More than he'd probably like to admit or dwell on the fact that he did. And he'd grown rather fond of seeing her most nights after work. He even found he liked it when she followed him into the shed and watched him work on that bike. And normally he couldn't stand for someone to watch him work. It usually made him self conscious and insecure, like they were judging and critiquing what he was doing. But not with her. In fact, listening to her voice as he worked was soothing in it's own unique way.

But hanging out with her for a few hours a couple times of week in the safe confines of close proximity to his own home was one thing. Hanging out with her in a strange place with no escape if things grew too awkward, or if he felt over-whelmed, or if he found he needed a moment alone, well that was something else entirely. He was going to be stuck inside of a hotel room with her for two days, and that part was a bit terrifying.

He'd meant what he said when he told Merle that he didn't know what do with her all weekend. He wasn't exactly the best at entertaining people. He was fine being quiet, enjoying silence, at entertaining himself. But Carol, well she liked to talk. And she liked to talk to him a lot. She liked to ask questions, learn about his life, and sometimes, that struck a nerve or hit on something he didn't wanna bring up. And even though she was good at backing off when she pulled that chord, sometimes he still needed to pull away after. To be by himself for a while.

Then there was the fact that on more than one occasion he'd checked her out. Particularly when she was wearing a tank top or in a low cut shirt and he could get an eye full of her pert breasts.

Aw shit. What if dressed like that this weekend and he kept staring at her like some perv? Like Merle would.

What if she went to sleep in one of those tank tops and he got a boner with her right there in the room with him?

"Daryl? Daryl? " Hershel called out, trying to get the younger Dixon's attention.

Daryl's head jerked up, cheeks flushing when he realized the thoughts he'd been entertaining about his boss' niece. "Yeah?" He mumbled, trying to hide his embarrassment.

"Rick Grimes is here and he's asking for you. Told him I'd send you up." He arched a brow at the young man standing before him. "You alright?"

"Uhhh, yeah, yeah. I'm fine," he assured Hershel. "I'll be right there."

()()()

A few moments later, Daryl walked up and joined Rick. He was a bit surprised at his friend stopping by his job to see him. It wasn't normal. His brows furrowed as he met Rick's eyes. "Everything alright?"

"Yeah. Everything's good. You just left this at the house yesterday." Rick held out a pocket knife to Daryl. One he'd been slicing the bags of deer feed open with yesterday.

Daryl reached out and took the knife, glancing it over and shoving it in his pocket. It was nothing special. Just a plain, maroon utility knife. "Thanks, got plenty at home, though. You could've kept it."

Rick shrugged. "Guess I wanted to stop by and check on you. See how things went."

Rick sounded sympathetic, like he already knew the answer to how they'd gone and that he was pitying Daryl. Daryl smirked smugly, thinking back to how happy and touched Carol had been at his gesture. "Things went great. She loved it."

Perplexed, Rick said, "Really? She wasn't mad you kinda broke into her house and painted her first child's room without you consulting her?"

Daryl shook his head, that same proud look washing over him that had last night. "Nah. Not all. In fact, she was so happy she cried and threw her arms around me. Hell, she even kissed me on the cheek before she left."

Rick couldn't help but grin at his friend. "Did she now?"

Daryl's proud look quickly changed to one of embarrassment. His eyes snapped to the concrete floor and he kicked his right foot back and forth. "She was excited," he muttered. "Meant a lot to her. It ain't the same for her as it is for you and Lori. That baby's daddy ain't around, Rick. He don't wanna be. Little help goes a long way for a single mama." Truthfully, Daryl was growing rather fond of Carol's unborn child, too. He was developing a need to look out for the kid. Though he thought he understand his motives behind that a little more clearly than he did his want and need to be around that child's mother so often.

Rick studied Daryl carefully, but didn't say anything to further embarrasses his friend. "Well, I stand corrected. Good thing you didn't listen to me."

"Didn't listen to you because you're a dumbass," Daryl joked.

Rick chuckled and rested his hands on his hips. "Popular opinion, I suppose. Anyway, I just wanted to drop that by and make sure you were alright. I could tell it meant a lot to you to do that, and I was just...You know what, it doesn't matter. Sorry I didn't help you out. I should have."

"It's fine. I work better alone anyway."

Rick tossed a hand up. "Well, I'll see you later this week. You still gonna come for that low county boil? Think Lori's inviting Carol."

"Yeah, man. I'll be there. See you."

()()()

When Daryl clocked out of work that even he decided to hang around to stop and ask Hershel an important question. That heartburn and all these strange feelings he was having were only intensifying, and it was starting to worry him a bit. He despised going to the doctor, but he was starting to grow a bit concerned with the frequency he was having these episodes. "Hey, you got a sec?" He asked his boss as the older man stepped out his office.

Hershel turned towards Daryl and smiled warmly. "Sure, what's on your mind." Daryl was no non-sense. Not one for casual conversation. He worked hard, harder than most people he'd ever employed, but Hershel doubted the boy was stopping him for a chit chat.

"Just got a question about the insurance I got with you. Can I just pick some doctor in town and go? I ain't never been to the doctor here, so I don't know how all that works."

Hershel paused, a look of concern washing over him. As far as he knew, the boy hadn't been to the doctor in the entire two years he'd worked for him. Not ever after that burn he'd recently inflicted upon himself. "Everything alright? I thought you looked a bit off earlier, but you said you were fine."

Daryl grunted and slumped a shoulder. "I don't know," he admitted, a bit reluctantly, but he didn't exactly have a choice since he'd brought it up. "Thought I was having heartburn the last few weeks. But now? Now I ain't so sure that's all it is. Nothing I take for it helps, and it just keeps getting worse."

Hershel, looking very serious, asked, "Well, what's going on? What are you symptoms?"

Daryl's thumb made it's way to the side of his mouth as he started listing symptoms one by one. "Chest gets real tight. Like someone's sitting on it. Sometimes it feels all warm. Like it's on fire. My stomach stays in knots, like it's jumping up and down or like my heart drops down into it. Sometimes...sometimes my heart flutters. Like it's skipping a beat or something. A few times I've had this weird fucking tingly feeling all over."

Hershel's concern dissipated and a knowing, amused look washed over him. "Can I ask you something, Daryl?"

He nodded.

"These symptoms, is there something in common whenever you feel them. Like a trigger. Something that always seems to be present when they get set off."

Daryl paused and raised his brows at the man. "What do you mean?"

Hershel chuckled at the boy's ignorance. "I don't know. Maybe you're a certain place when it happens. Or maybe you're thinking about a certain thing. Or around a certain person."

Daryl mulled the symptoms over in his mind. Starting with where he'd been and what he'd been doing the first time he felt them, all the way up until what was happening when they were the strongest they'd been. Then it hit Daryl. Out of nowhere. Like a ton of bricks collapsing on him.

That trigger was always Carol. Whether he was around her, or thinking about her, it always started with her. He thought back to that night on their walk to the quarry, how she was trying to describe what the baby pitter pattering around inside of her was like and how it was similar to butterflies fluttering around in your stomach and how she compared that feeling to having a crush or falling in love for the first time. He didn't realize how he hadn't figured it out sooner. Ah, fuck my life! He thought to himself, thinking about how he had to go away with her soon and how this knew knowledge was going to affect that trip. And fuck Merle up the ass with a giant splintery dildo.


	22. Chapter 22

**It's been a minute. Real life has been a bit overwhelming and writing kinda had to take the back burner. For anyone still interested, I think I'll be able to update more frequently now as long as things keep going smoothly.**

"Are you alright? Daryl? Hey! Are you alright?" Hershel placed a hand on his employee's shoulder and gave him a small shake when he wouldn't answer him. The boy looked downright dazed and confused.

Daryl jerked and met Hershel's eyes. He shook his head, as if trying to shake off the realization he'd just come to. "I, uh, yeah. I'm...I'm good. Just peachy. Listen, um, I gotta," Daryl pointed over his shoulder, "I gotta go. Got somewhere to be. I'll see you tomorrow."

Hershel pushed back a smile. He could tell that Daryl must have realized what was triggering all of his "symptoms" and that it was likely that he didn't need a doctor after all. The younger man seemed a bit troubled by his newfound realization, but that didn't surprise Hershel all that much. He knew how shy and often withdrawn the boy was, and he'd never heard him mention anyone special in his life before. Even now, he didn't fully know who might have affected Daryl this way. He didn't exactly offer up personal details about his life outside of work. "Alright. See you tomorrow then. Hope you get to feeling better." He watched as Daryl gave him a small nod and turned on his heels to walk off, but the he remembered something. "Oh, can you hold on a sec? I need you to do me a favor, if you don't mind?"

Reluctantly, and with a muffled sigh, he replied, "Sure." Even though he wanted nothing more than to leave a Daryl shaped hole through the door. Finally reaching the conclusion he'd had a crush on his tenant and new found friend for the past few weeks would be overwhelming enough for him in and of itself. But adding in the fact that was supposed to go away with her for the weekend, well he was down right panic-stricken.

Hershel walked over to his desk and grabbed an empty Rubbermaid. He handed it to Daryl. "Could you give this back to Carol? She brought banana pudding over when she ate supper with us the other night and she left this at the house. I was gonna drop it by after work, but I kept forgetting the last few days. Annette and I have to help with Bible School at church tonight and tomorrow, and I won't have time. I just figured you might see her first since you're right there next to her."

Daryl's top teeth painfully raked over his bottom lip as he stared down at the empty dish in his boss' hand. "You want me to give that to...Carol?"

Hershel chuckled. "If it isn't too much trouble, yes. You do live right there beside her."

"Yeah...Reckon I do." He reached out with his right hand and took the bowl from Hershel. Anxiously hitting it against the palm of his left hand. He mumbled, "Best get going. See you."

()()()

On the way out of the building, Daryl bypassed the parking lot where he knew Merle was waiting on him in the truck. He was too amped up to ride home with his brother. That son of a bitch knew he liked her. Way before Daryl did. That's why he'd set the whole thing up where they'd be alone on that trip all weekend. Merle thought he was pissed before, just wait until he saw how pissed off he was now. That asshole had no idea what he's in store for.

Daryl clutched the plastic contained in his hand and kicked at a small stick that was on the concrete below him. The stick went flying into the air and Daryl groaned out a "Fuck!" He didn't know what to do or how to feel about this predicament he was in. Had been in, but had been too damn stupid to realize it.

Merle was right. How fucked up in the head was he? He'd gone almost 30 years without having any meaningful, intimate relationship with a woman. He'd never really felt the need for that connection or the want to be around a woman the way he did Carol and he didn't even realize what was going on when he finally did develop those feelings. To top it off, the woman he fell for was going on 7 months pregnant with another man's kid. How complicated was that?

Ain't like she'd want his fucked up ass. Having a kid was enough of a responsibility. Taking on a relationship with somebody like him who didn't know what the hell he was doing, why would she want that? And even though he now realized that he liked her, did he really want that with her? It wasn't like it was just her, after all. It was her and her little girl. He didn't know a damn thing about kids, and his male role models growing up hadn't exactly been stellar.

How in the hell was he supposed to look at her now? How was he supposed to be around her and not think about what he felt? Fuck! He needed to clear his head. He needed to be alone and sort this out. Then, he needed to get home and stick his foot so far up his brother's ass he'd be shitting Daryl's boots for the next week.

He blew out a heavy, troubled sigh as he dipped off through the woods, opting to take the long way home through a trail he knew would eventually lead back to his house. He need to sort this shit out and figure out what the fuck he was gonna do.

()()()

Ten minutes after waiting for his brother outside of the truck, Merle's patience had waxed thin and he headed inside to find him so they could go home. He knew that Daryl said he wanted to stay and ask Hershel something. But damn! Did it really take that long to ask a simple fucking question?

Merle knocked on Hershel's office door, where he found the old man clicking away at his computer. His eyes scanned the room, noticing Daryl was nowhere to be found. "You seen my brother?" He asked when Hershel looked up and acknowledged his presence.

"No. He left about five minutes ago or so. Said he had somewhere to be. He didn't go to your truck?"

Merle shook his head. "The hell you think he went?"

Hershel smiled and shrugged a shoulder. "Probably to clear his head. I think he came to a startling realization and he probably doesn't know how to handle it."

Merle quirked a brow. "What kinda realization?"

Hershel just chuckled. "I think your little brother has himself a crush on someone. He thought he was having health issues and came to talk to me about insurance and seeing a doctor, but I may have caused him to look at symptoms from a different perspective. Do you think there's a chance I'm on to something here or should I refer the boy to a cardiologist ASAP?"

Merle grinned wickedly. "Nah, I think you're spot on there with your diagnosis, Doctor Greene. Boy's got it bad. He ain't even had a damn clue up until now. I was wondering when he'd finally figure it out."

"That's what I thought." Hershel stood up from his place at the computer and pushed his chair under the desk. "He probably decided to walk home. Clear his head. I hope he figures it out and works up the nerve to tell whoever this girl is. He's a good kid. I just hope she's a good girl and she won't break his heart." Hershel paused and gave Merle a worried look. "It's not one of the women you usually associate with, is it?"

A low rumble escaped from the back of Merle's throat. "Nah, she ain't one of mine. I think she's a good girl. Hell, you'd probably know the answer to that question better than I would."

Perplexed, Hershel's brows crinkled. He said, "Excuse me?"

"He likes your niece," Merle informed him, matter of factly. "His ass is straight sprung on her. Can't believe you didn't put two and two together. Damn, old man! You're the boss, you're supposed to be smarter than me."

()()()

Lori walked up and set two hot cups down on the table in front of herself and Carol. She smiled at her new friend and took a seat. "Drink up. It's Earl Gray. "

Carol picked up the mug, blowing the hot steam from the rim. "You know? I don't think I've ever actually had hot tea."

"Trust me, it's delicious." Lori carefully took a sip. When she was done, she looked up and grinned at Carol. " So I hear Daryl painted Sophia's room for you."

Carol blushed, an instinctive, heartfelt smile lined her lips. Her index finger lazily traced the edge of the handle on her mug. "Rick told Daryl he did that?" She couldn't hide the surprise in her voice. Daryl didn't seem like the kind of guy to brag about doing something for someone else. In fact, she wouldn't have thought he told anyone about it. But Rick was his best friend.

"Well, yes. But that's probably because he asked him to help."

Carol's brows crinkled. "Daryl didn't mention Rick helped him."

"He didn't," Lori hesitantly admitted. "He sort of thought that Daryl would be crossing a line by going into your house without permission and painting your first born child's room without even consulting you on colors and patterns. He didn't want you to get mad at."

Without taking a sip, Carol placed the scolding mug back down on the table. She looked down at the light brown liquid, then met Lori's eyes, a thoughtful look reflecting in her own blue orbs. "You know? Maybe I should be mad. Maybe I should be terrified that he let himself into my house like that. Hell, if it was Merle that had done it I probably would be. And I'd be checking my underwear drawer to make sure none were missing.

Lori snorted, covering her mouth so none of the tea she'd been sipping would be spill out.

Carol grinned and shrugged a shoulder. "But what Daryl did? It's one of the kindest things someone's ever done for me. And I'm not sure I can ever express how much what he did meant to me. He left a note on the door." Carol chuckled to herself. "It was in the sloppiest, most boyish hand-writing ever. If one of my students had turned their work in like that I'd cringe. But that piece of paper? It melted my heart. I put it in my mother's jewelry box. That's where I keep any thing sentimental. He said he'd be there for me. For Sophia. He said if we needed anything he'd be there." Carol paused, her voice growing thick with overwhelming emotion.

Lori's eyes lit up and she smiled at Carol. She knew she'd been right in assuming Daryl had a crush on Carol. That part was easy to see. She just hadn't been sure if he'd do anything about. If he'd be able to recognize it. If he was emotionally ready to be with a woman, let alone a woman with another man's child on the way. But what he did for Carol and the baby? That letter he left? It showed her that Daryl was a lot more capable than she gave him credit for. "Daryl's a good man," Lori pointed out. "Once he lets himself get close to someone, there's nothing he won't do for them."

Carol pressed her lips together, pushing back the urge to shed a happy tear. Damn these pregnancy hormones. "He is. He's a very good man," Carol agreed. "This whole pregnancy, facing everything alone. It's been a roller coaster for me. Don't get me wrong, I'm very excited about meeting my daughter. I have been since the moment I had my first ultrasound. But I just...Seeing you and Rick together these past few weeks, seeing how much he loves you and how excited he is to meet his son, it's sort of reminded me that I don't have that. I don't have that person so share it with. I don't have someone to help me the way you do."

Lori's face fell. "I'm so sorry, Carol."

"It's okay. You don't have to be. I'm happy you have Rick. I'm happy Carl has his father. I wouldn't wish my situation on anyone and I know I have no one to blame but myself for jumping into anything so fast..." She paused, feeling like she was rambling, and maybe she was. Her thoughts were all jumbled at the moment. "But when Daryl painted her room and left that letter it meant the world to me. It made me feel like we weren't so alone. And I know I have my family, but it's not the same. But what Daryl did? Seeing this man that was a stranger merely a month ago do something like that, seeing that he cares about me and my child enough to do that." Carol shook her head bitterly. "Her own father couldn't give a damn about her. He doesn't even know he's having a daughter. The asshole wouldn't even know what color to paint her room." Her voice softened. "But Daryl does and he cared enough to do it." Carol blew out a shaky breath, her eyes flitting to the ceiling, feeling almost reluctant to admit this out loud. Because once she did, it was real. She was acknowledging her feelings and she couldn't take it back. "I think I like him, Lori. A lot. That's crazy, isn't it?"


	23. Chapter 23

**Aw, you guys made me feel missed! Thank you! =) I'm glad some of you are still into this after waiting so long for an update. Here's the next chapter.**

The corner of Lori's lip turned up, but she fought the urge to break out into a full on smile. She let her voice grow soft and full of understanding. "Nothing you said sounds crazy. Not a damn thing."

Carol let out a nervous chuckle and shook her head as her fingers anxiously traced the handle of her warm mug that she still hadn't bothered to take a sip from. "How is it not? I'm having a baby in the next twelve weeks. A _baby._ And here I am contemplating on whether or not I should make a move on the man next door. That's selfish. Pure selfishness."

"It's not," Lori butted in. "Liking Daryl isn't selfish, Carol. You're going to be a mother, but that doesn't make you any less of a normal human being. It doesn't erase the fact that you have wants and needs. There's no reason for you to be alone for the rest of your life."

"I'm not saying I have to alone for the rest of my life," Carol interjected. "But right now? I just, I don't know if it's the right time. I mean, getting into a relationship with a pregnant woman? Well, that's a hell of a responsibility for a single man to take on. Especially someone like Daryl, who's..." She paused, searching for the right word to describe him. "Well, who's Daryl." She finally settled on, not knowing how else to put it.

"And Daryl's a good man. You said so yourself a few minutes ago." Lori countered.

"He is," Carol agreed. "He's a very good man. And he's kind and unbelievably sweet and ruggedly handsome and adorably awkward." Carol could feel her lips twitching into a small smile as she named off all of the good qualities about him and she felt her cheeks flush. A familiar tingling sensation burning her skin.

"Then what's the problem?"

Carol groaned. Her head fell backwards and her eyes flitted to the ceiling above. Her hands came up settled on either side of her head and she began massaging her temples. "I don't know him. _Not really_. We've barely known each other a month."

"I'm willing to bet you know him better than you knew the guy who knocked you up." The words left Lori's mouth before she realized what she'd said and she instantly cursed herself internally. The hard scowl Carol shot her let her know she crossed a line. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it to come off that way. It's just that I think you're looking for reasons to talk yourself out of this. And I know you've been through a lot. I know it's gotta be hard to let someone in again. That you also have a child to think about now. But Daryl's not that scum who dipped out on you. And I'm giving you my word on that. Don't believe me? ThenRick will give you his. And I'm willing to bet that your aunt and uncle and cousins and Glenn will too."

Carol leaned up, busying herself with her mug. She finally taking a sip, more so to distract herself and prolong replying to Lori than it had to do with actually being thirsty. She made a pleased sound as the warm liquid connected with the back of her throat. Hot tea was better than she'd expected it to be. When she was done she blew a heavy breath. "I haven't felt this way about anyone in a long time," She admitted. "And I don't wanna screw things up with him. I don't wanna scare him or push him away. This friendship we've built? It means a lot to me. I don't even know if he'd really want something serious. But I don't want this to just be a meaningless fling either. I just...I don't want him to think I'm expecting him to play daddy to my child. His brother thought that at one point. He told me so. He thought I was trying to trick Daryl and trap him into marrying me and raising her. What if Daryl thinks the same thing?"

"Merle's an asshole and a dumbass," Lori stated matter of factly.

Carol laughed. A genuine one laugh time and her eyes danced with amusement. "That he is."

"But Daryl isn't."

Carol sighed heavily, her hand resting a top her protruding bely. She moved them ever so slightly and felt her daughter shift around underneath her palms. "No, he isn't. Far from, it in fact. But do you really think he'd want this with me? Do you think he's ready to consider being in a relationship with someone? Someone that's going to have a daughter around all the time? He's got all these walls up. You know? And some times he lets them down with me, he lets me in, lets me know things about him. But others? Other times he keeps them up so damn high I'm not sure if he'll ever let me crawl over them."

"I think you're the only damn person I've ever seen him break them down for, even a little. And if he'll let anyone in, it's gonna be you and that baby."

Carol studied Lori's face curiously. "Why are you so supportive of this? Why are you trying to talk me into trying with him?"

Lori paused and considered her answer. "Maybe I'm just a hopeless romantic?"

Carol narrowed her eyes, demanding more of a definitive answer.

"Or maybe I think that you two, no scratch that, you _three_ happen to need each other more than you realize."

Her eyes flicked down to her belly and her hand swept over the cotton material of her shirt, a conflicted look washing over her face. "I don't know what to do. And to make matters worse, I'm going away with him to that damn hunting convention in Atlanta next weekend. Just the two of us. Alone. All weekend. ALONE!"

Lori's eyebrows shot up at that. "Say what now?"

"Oh...Right...I haven't told you about that, have I?"

She slowly shook her head.

"It's kinda a long story. One that's gonna some type of chocolate to get through since I can't have wine right now."

The sound of a chair screeching across the wood floor filled the kitchen and Lori stood up. She retrieved a pint of ice-cream from the freezer and grabbed two silver spoons. She smiled at Carol. "Well, I've got just what you need. Dutch chocolate. Now, fill me in!"

()()()

Daryl paced a circle on the trail he'd been walking in the woods like he was a caged animal. The soles of his steel toe boots frantically sending clouds of dirt and dust swirling into the air.

With a shaky hand he reached into the back pocket of his jeans to retrieve his pack of cigarettes. He was down to his last one, having smoked almost the entire damn pack after he decided to walk home from work only about thirty minutes ago. The butt end of the cigarette quivered on the edge of his lips as he tried his damndest to still his hand enough to get the thing lit. He was pretty sure he entire body was ready to start convulsing at this point.

He was freaking the fuck out.

He liked her.

He fucking liked Carol.

Carol.

His tenant. His neighbor. His friend. His boss' niece.

His boss' _pregnant_ fucking niece.

He growled in frustration as he continued his battle to the cigarette lit.

His free hand wound around the Rubbermaid bowl he was supposed to deliver to her later. He heard the plastic crrack and bend in his palm. But at the moment tearing up her Tupperware was the least of his worries.

Finally, the flame from his lighter connected just right and he was able to get the damn cigarette lit. He sucked in a deep drag of the menthol nicotine, almost as frantically as a drowning man would suck in a precious breath of air. The smoke hit his lungs and he felt small wave of calmness courrse through his veins. At least for a brief moment.

He stood there, in the middle of the woods, absentmindedly glancing around the plethora of pine trees. His thoughts were too jumbled to make his feet start on the path that he knew would inevitably lead him home.

Home wasn't somewhere he could be right now. He might run into Carol there. Seeing her right now would be too damn much. He wouldn't know what to say or do and it would end up being ten times more awkward than it had been the day he met her.

What was he supposed to do about all this? It wasn't like he could avoid her. Their damn house shared walls for fuck's sake. Seeing her again was inevitable. He couldn't just move. It wasn't like he was renting. He had a mortgage.

And he couldn't kick her out. She had a kid on the way. Hell, he wouldn't be able to bring himself to kick her out even if she didn't. She hadn't done anything wrong. She didn't deserve that kinda treatment.

Daryl felt a tightness settle in his gut and chest. No matter how awkward it was, he'd have to talk to her again at some point. The thought of shutting her out was actually painful to him. It left him wondering if it would hurt her. If it would make her feel like she'd done something to cause it. After what that asshole who knocked her up did, Daryl couldn't just walk out of her life. Out of her unborn kid's life. Hell, he'd just promised her in that letter the day before that he'd be there for them if she needed him. He couldn't just take that back now.

And he didn't want to. Not really.

Deep down, if he allowed himself to be completely honest with his own self, which he rarely did, he wanted to know her better. He wanted to spend more time with her. He even wanted to be there for this kid in some way.

A way he damn sure wasn't sure of or wasn't ready to elaborate on. But in some type of the way, none the less. The kid deserved some type of steady man in their life. One that was going to be there. One that was nothing like the men his mother had exposed him to growing up.

And Carol? She deserved that too. She deserved someone she could depend on. Someone who wasn't gonna treat her anything like he'd seen some of the men in his mama's life treat her.

"Yeah, right. You really think that's you, dumbass?" He grumbled to himself under his breath.

What the hell did he know about women in general? About kids? About taking care of anyone but him damn self?

What did he have to offer her? The men his mama had always gone after weren't always good men, but they'd offered her something. They'd usually been financially stable. At least more so than she was.

Carol didn't need Daryl's money. She had a decent job. He knew teachers weren't rich by any means, but she'd have enough to take care of herself and the kid.

And yeah, he'd painted the kid's room and she'd been grateful. So damn grateful she placed that kiss on his cheek that made him feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Like a giant gooey, melting marshmallow or something. But she hadn't really needed him to do that. Had she? She had Hershel. She had Shawn. She had Glenn. One of them could have done it. She had people to turn to.

Why the fuck would she want something with his unexperienced ass?

He'd just be more trouble than she already had for herself. Not a damn bit of good could come from what he was feeling. He needed to bury it. He needed to lock that shit up and bury it deep.

He could do that. Couldn't he?

()()()

Daryl finally made his way home after wandering around aimlessly in the woods for hours. He was drenched in sweat and his shirt was soaked after all the time he'd spent trying to clear his head out there.

Apparently burying his feelings wasn't going to be that easy, because he hadn't been able to push it out of his mind, no matter how hard he tried. Somehow, all he kept thinking about was Carol. And things he hadn't let himself notice before kept popping to the forefront of his mind.

Like how beautiful she was when she smiled. Or how cute it was when her nose scrunched up when she grinned. Or the sound of her giggle. Or the way her hand felt in his that night they found the quarry and he helped her maneuver around those dirt mounds blocking the road off. Then there was the way her arms felt around him when she hugged him, or the soft press of her lips against his cheek. The way her cleavage showed off in that tank top she had on that time...

Shit.

Why couldn't he turn his thoughts off?

He wished Merle was home. If he had been he'd have probably take all his frustrations out on him. Maybe decking Merle in the jaw would make him feel better.

After all, now that he knew how he felt about her he was even more mortified he'd have to spend a weekend alone with Carol. Damn that son of a bitch Merle and his manipulative ways. Stupid asshole. Daryl had no idea how he was supposed to make it through that weekend now.

His stomach rumbling broke him from his thoughts and he looked up at the clock, noticing it was well past seven. There wasn't shit to eat in this house, at least nothing that was worth a damn. If he didn't feel like he needed to avoid her like the plague he'd have probably knocked on Carol's door by now to see what she had.

That's when it hit him. She'd mentioned him coming by today, but her car hadn't been home when he got back about fifteen minutes ago. At the time he'd been relieved, but now he just found himself wondering where she was and if she'd forgotten they'd had plans.

He didn't know why that second thought stung a bit. Hell, he'd been so wrapped up in his own freak out he'd forgotten until now. She probably just got busy with her family or something. It shouldn't be a big deal. It wasn't like she'd been thinking about him today. Why would she? She probably didn't think about him at all when he wasn't around.

He shook his head, sighed, and stalked off to the kitchen to search his fridge. He found a half eaten box of pizza that was a few days old and a damn near full twelve pack of Nattie Lite. His eyes narrowed on the beer that he knew belonged to his brother. With a scowl, Daryl grabbed the beer and the days old pizza. He set them both on the counter.

Feeling anxious again, he gnawed at his bottom lip. What if she came home and wanted to hang out? He didn't wanna risk that. He grabbed the box of old pizza and the case of beer and decided that he'd have his meal outdoors.

()()()

Carol ended up staying and talking to Lori far longer than she'd intended to. Once she'd confided in her about going away with Daryl for the weekend it was like the woman had turned into a female version of Merle Dixon. Lori had more or less suggested that Carol shove her hands down Daryl's pants this weekend, and Carol responded by squealing out a loud no and turning cherry red.

Apparently Lori didn't think Daryl would get the message unless things were thrown in his face so to speak.

She couldn't believe that her new friend would say such a thing! That woman was adamant about her and Daryl starting something, and Carol still didn't fully understand why. Lori didn't really even know Carol that well. For all she knew she could be bad news for Daryl. But for whatever reason, Lori seemed to thing Carol, Daryl, and Sophia needed each other.

Unfortunately, Carol was still confused as hell and didn't know what to do about the situation. It wasn't as easy as Lori made it out to be. She didn't have faith that she could tell him she liked him and he'd be giddy and things would just work out. This wasn't something to throw yourself into lightly. It wasn't something she could just take back once she said it or acted on it. She needed some type of confirmation that he might want this too before she mad an ass of herself in front of him. She just wasn't sure about how to go about getting it without making a fool of herself or making things awkward.

Lori had offered to get Rick to ask Daryl if he liked her and might be interested in her that way. But that seemed very middle schoolish to Carol. She didn't want to do things that way. This was a conversation she needed to have with Daryl herself. And she had to figure out how to have it on her own.

And she would. Eventually. Maybe after Sophia was born. When she was like four or something.

When Carol finally got home from Lori's she noticed that Merle's truck wasn't home, which of course was nothing new. She didn't notice Daryl in the yard or see the shed light on, and she was a bit relieved at that. She just didn't know how she could look him in the eye right now after everything she'd talked about with Lori earlier.

It was then that she realized she'd said something to him last night about hanging out later today. She'd completely forgotten up until now.

Shit.

What if she went inside and he knocked on her door?

She could say she didn't feel good, but she didn't like the idea of lying to him. And she didn't want him to worry about her if she said she wasn't feeling good. She glanced at the house and grimaced.

Maybe she'd go on a walk. She could use the fresh air.

It was getting late, dusk was settling in and the sun had started dipping below the horizon, but Carol didn't let it deter her from embarking on her journey.

And in all honesty, she felt her nerves settling some as she strolled through the neighborhood. Being outdoors, by herself, it let allowed her to push push her current worries from her mind. She was just enjoying the quietness and solitude.

Maybe that's why when she reached the stop sign where the street dead ended that she simply kept going. Tentatively hanging onto the post as she made her way up the dirt mound. She wasn't ready to trade in the sense of calm she'd found. She wasn't ready to go home and work herself up again. She just wanted to enjoy this momentary peace she'd found.

So she carefully helped herself down the other side of the mound and walked her way down the dirt path. She settled herself on going to watch the sunset out at the quarry. She'd always enjoyed sunsets and she couldn't remember the last time she'd actually take the time to watch the sun go down.

Maybe being out there at the quarry where she'd shared that night with Daryl when their pinkies touched would even offer her some type of clarity on what she should do about their situation.

()()()

Daryl was busy guzzling down his sixth beer of the evening. He stared straight ahead at the setting sun as he pulled the now empty silver and blue can from his mouth licking the remaining foam off of the corner of his lips. He was feeling much more relaxed than he had been earlier. And he was sure the alcohol was in part to thank for that.

He wasn't a big drinker, nothing like Merle was, but he did enjoy getting drunk every now and then and sometimes just liked to throw back a few beers for the hell of it. But one thing was for sure, when he was anxious, having a buzzed always seemed to dull that. It's how he'd been able to strike up that friendship with Rick when they'd met in the bar. Having a buzz just seemed to help his awkward edge melt away.

Daryl leaned over, grabbing the last slice of cold pizza and one more beer. He regretfully took another bite and froced himself to chew. He couldn't help but think of all the hot meals Carol had made him since he met her and how much he'd like to have on of those right now.

The thought of her instantly had his stomach coiling into nervous loops, but he didn't feel like he was on the edge of a full blown panic attack like he had earlier. At least that was progress. Progress that would likely be lost the next time he was stone cold sober, but progress for the night none the less.

He popped the cap on the beer and lifted the can to his lips, prepared to take another sip. The sound of rocks crunching behind him gave him pause and he stopped his arm froze in the air. He heard an all too familiar voice call out his name and he glanced over his shoulder. His eyes were wide in disbelief and the can of beer slipped out of his grip, spilling all over his shirt and jeans. "Shit," he muttered as he fumbled hastily to try and get the can out of his lap to prevent it from further soaking him.

"I'm so sorry," Carol mumbled, rushing up next to where he was sitting at the edge of the quarry. "I didn't mean to startle you. I just wasn't expecting to see you out here." She glanced around, as if she was searching for a roll of paper towels she knew wouldn't be there.

Daryl's eyes flicked to his soaked jeans. It looked like he pissed his fucking pants. He groaned, half out of embarrassment and half out of frustration. But when he looked up and met her eyes he remembered why he'd been out here in the first place. He remembered why he'd wanted to avoid her. How he felt about her. He could feel his eyes grown wide, and was surprised to see her very own baby blues to the same. They stared at each other a moment before Daryl finally said, "Wasn't expecting to see you out here." Daryl ran his hands over his jeans and seemed to resign himself to the fact that he was covered in beer for the moment, not making a move to stand up, or do anything really.

Carol just shrugged, her eyes flitting to his soaked jeans. "You either." She slowly lowered herself and took a seat beside him. Another beat of silence set between them and Carol switched between staring out at the setting sun and sneaking glances at Daryl. She chewed at her bottom lip for a moment before finally deciding to try and break through the awkwardness. "Are you having a little picnic without me?"

Without turning his head, Daryl's eyes moved and her hers. He felt his lip twitch into a grin and the overwhelming feeling of nervousness and panic he'd originally felt at seeing her that he was sure would never leave now that he knew how he felt seemed to dissipate. But maybe that was because of the beer too. Strangely enough though, he felt a sense of calm now that she was here with him. Talking to him. Joking with him. Sitting next to him. And he felt happy to be around her. So much so that he felt like joking back. "Reckon so. You kinda forgot to feed me tonight."

Carol chuckled, an almost relieved sounding chuckle, and she shook her head. "I suppose I did. I got caught up at Lori's and lost track of time." She glanced down at the piece of pizza he'd dropped along with the beer when she called out his name. It was also beer soaked and now covered in red dirt. "I think it's pretty clear I shouldn't do that again. I'm not sure you can survive on your own."

He grunted. "As much as I love three day old pizza, some cubed steak, gravy and mashed potatoes would've realy hit the spot."

Carol let out another small chuckle, but the her eyes landed on all the empty cans next to him and the remaining beers in the case. A troubled look washed over her as she wondered why he'd be out here alone, drinking. "Everything okay?'

He looked away then, unable to meet her eyes. His thumb found it's way to the side of his mouth and he said, "Uh...Yeah. Yeah. Everything's good. Work was just...I had a rough end of the day. Didn't feel like being cooped up in the house. Needed to relax." He thought about things for a second. Turning over the fact that she was out here alone as well over in his mind. Near dark. And how she had to walk up that dirt mound alone. How she could have fell and hurt herself or the baby. He gnawed at his nail and his eyes darted back in her direction. "What about you?"

"Huh?"

"You came out here all alone? Why?"

"Oh, um, I just needed some fresh air," she replied evasively, and she felt relieved when he didn't push her for more.

He wanted to tell her she probably shouldn't do that. That something could happen with her coming out here alone . Like her falling and hurting herself or the baby, but he didn't feel like he had the right to tell her what she could or couldn't do, so he kept his mouth shut.

"You know? I can't decide what's prettier." Carol wondered aloud. Daryl eyed her curiously and she explained herself. "Being out here at night with all the stars out or right now. With the sun setting like that."

Daryl peered up at the orange and purple hues in the sky. The sun had almost completely disappeared behind the pine trees. "I like it at night better."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"How come?"

He shrugged a shoulder. "I don't know. Like the stars, I guess. Used to count them when I was a kid. Try and find all the constellations. Hell," he snorted. "Used to stay gone in the woods so long I'd get lost and I'd use the north star to help find my way home."

Carol smiled at that. She liked those rare moments he talked about his life as a kid. He didn't do that often. "I wouldn't even know which one was the north star."

Daryl chewed at his bottom lip a moment. Finally, he suggested, "Wanna stay out here until dark? I could show you."

"Are you sure?" Carol asked, sounding almost surprised.

He immediately began to back track. "We ain't gotta. Not if you don't wanna, I mean, hell, why would you wanna look at the stars. That was stupid. Forget I said..."

She cut him off. "No, I just, I thought you might not wanna go home and change because of," she pointed to his crotch, "the beer and all."

"Pffft. Little beer ain't gonna hurt me. Skinned a damn deer in the middle of the woods before and walked around covered in blood after I ate him."

Her face twisted into a look of something between amusement and disgust at the thought of Daryl walking around covered in blood and guts. "It's settled then. We'll stay and look at the stars. You can show me Ryan's belt."

"Think you mean Orion's belt," he replied, making a sound mixed between a grunt and a chuckle. "Ain't you a teacher?"

"Shut up!. I teach English, not science!" She rolled her eyes and playfully shoved him, thankful for the much lighter feeling that seemed to have taken over for both of them.

()()()

Carol wasn't sure long they'd stayed out there together, Daryl pointing out constellations she hadn't even known existed before. But it must have been a while, because by the time Maggie interrupted them when she called to ask Carol a cooking related question she noticed the time on her phone she was disappointed to realize that they both needed to head back to the house. Daryl had work the next day and Carol had to meet with the principal at the new school she was going to be working at.

She sighed and looked over to Daryl. "Guess that's my astronomy lesson for the night. We should probably get back. It's getting late"

In the faint light that the moon and stars provided Daryl looked almost as disappointed as Carol felt, but he didn't protest. "Alright," he muttered. In one swift motion, he moved and stood to his feet. He grabbed his empty pizza box and chunked it into the woods. He then reached for the pack of beer, which had about four left in it. He'd stopped drinking after Carol showed up. He'd found himself too busy being engaged in conversation with her to think about grabbing for a beer. He thought about taking the beer home, but remembered it was Merle's and that he was still kinda pissed at his brother, so he chunked it in the woods too.

"Daryl," Carol scolded, watching him litter.

"Oh, don't worry. It's Merle's beer. It ain't mine. I wasn't wasting my money or nothing."

She rolled her eyes, her ass still planted on the ground. "I don't care about that. Its' just, you shouldn't litter. It's bad for the environment."

"Oh..." He gave her a sheepish look and shrugged his shoulder. It was a little late for that now. It was too dark to go in the woods and find it. He'd probably step on a damn snake if he tried. She was still staring up at him. "What? You pissed at me for doing that?"

Embarrassed, Carol replied, "No. No. It's not that. It's just," her cheeks flushed and her eyes flitted to her belly, "it's getting a little hard to get up after sitting like this these days." She was really starting to progress in her pregnancy and add on some extra weight the last week, getting up from this position was just going to be a bit tricky. She was worried she might topple over the edge of the quarry if she tried.

"Come here," Daryl held out his hand to her, not wanting to risk her falling or hurting herself or the kid.

She smiled and placed her hand in his. He tentatively helped pull her to her feet, keeping his other arm ready to catch her in case she fell. Once she was steady on her feet and she no longer felt that there was a risk she'd fall, she made a decision. She decided to test the waters a bit. To try and put herself out there. At least this way she could come up with an excuse if he freaked out or things didn't go well.

So instead of dropping her hand from his once she was secure on her feet, she gave his a squeeze and took a step forward, hoping he'd take the bait and hold her hand the entire walk home. She even offered him a small, closed lip smile. One she wasn't sure he could even see well in the low light.

Uncertainty filled Daryl's eyes. Like he wasn't exactly sure what he was supposed to do. But as she clung to his hand and took that step forward, he let his own remain in hers and began to fall in step with her. And they walked like that the entire way home. His large, calloused, sweaty hand intertwined with her much more delicate one.


	24. Chapter 24

**I don't even know what to say about not updating this in so long. I just haven't been feeling it. I am going to finish this story eventually. Here's a chapter to ring in the New Year with. I hope 2017 is good to you all and that everyone had a safe, happy weekend.**

Thump. Thump. Thump.

That steady, repetitive sound of Daryl's heart hammering away in his chest as he strolled hand in hand with Carol on the walk home from the quarry was the only sound resonating in his ears.

Not the usual comforting lullaby of the crickets singing their own nightly melody. Not the far away hum of vehicles barreling up and down the nearby highway. Not even the rumbling wails and whistles of the train churning down the tracks less than half a mile through the woods could penetrate his ears.

He was too caught up in the whirlwind of emotions encompassing him. Too caught up in his realization of how he felt about this woman. This woman who was merely supposed to be his neighbor, his tenant. This woman who was 7 months pregnant with some loser assholes kid, but who he couldn't help but notice was none the less breathtakingly beautiful as he tentatively chanced a glance at her out of the corner of his eyes.

In the faint glow of the starlight, she caught him looking. Her blue eyes twinkled and she didn't even try to suppress the girlish grin that etched her lips. A tight, close lipped grin snuck across his own face. She squeezed his hand a bit tighter before flitting her eyes away from his and down to the sidewalk. He could feel his cheeks flame and he forced his eyes to do the same. He wasn't emboldened enough to dare try and hold her gaze.

What the hell was all of this? What were they doing? He didn't have the damndest clue. He should be running. He should be as far away from her as humanly possible right now! He shouldn't be walking down the damn road at night holding hands with her of all things. Doing that should scare the shit out of him. It should make him uncomfortable and tense. He should be snatching his damn hand away from her.

But strangely enough, he couldn't. He didn't damn want to. Her hand fit into his perfectly, like a glove molded specifically for it. And all those terrifying feelings every bit of logic he possessed told him that he should be feeling, well he wasn't feeling them. Not exactly. Sure, he was anxious, but it was a good sort of anxiousness. Full of uncertainty and wonder and excitement. A feeling that for one of the first times in his life he had something good and beautiful resting in the palm of his hand, and that feeling had him not wanting to let go.

So, he couldn't help but be a little disappointed when the two of them started the walk up their long driveway that would lead them both to their respective homes. He couldn't help it as his gut twisted into knots when Carol stopped in front of his door. She glanced at Daryl's door and then back up at him, offering him a weak smile. "Well, I guess this is your stop," she told him, and he thought he even detected the slightest hint of sorrow in her own voice at the fact that their night was about to end.

"Yep. Guess it is," he mumbled, fully expecting her to drop his hand and head for own door. But he was taken off guard when she didn't drop it immediately and instead he felt his arm swing forward as she rocked their clasped hands back and forth.

"You know?" She began tentatively, "I really enjoyed this."

With his free hand, he rubbed the back of his neck. "Me too."

A playful grin worked its way onto her face, but her eyes were cautious as she said, "It was pretty romantic."

Daryl flushed beet red and his head bobbed down so there was no chance of their eyes meeting. He'd never been told he'd done something romantic in his entire life. He was pretty damn sure he hadn't, and he wasn't sure if this would classify either. Was she joking? Making fun of him? Did she think the idea of doing anything romantic with him at all was ridiculous? "Stop it," he muttered. Feeling self-conscious and wounded, Daryl moved to pull his hand away, but Carol tightened her grip and he stilled.

"Hey?" She said softly, her voice pleading with him to meet her eyes. "I'm serious, Daryl. I really enjoyed tonight. I really like…" She sighed and paused for a long moment before starting over. "I really like spending time with you."

The corner of Daryl's lip turned up and his blue eyes locked on hers. Damn she was beautiful staring up at him like that. And there it was. That familiar tightness in his chest crept up again, crushing his ability to breath. An unwarranted, unfamiliar urge he wouldn't dare dream of acting on crossed his mind. The need to kiss her, to have his rough, cracked lips pressed against her soft, delicate ones filled his body and mind. Unable to act on this new impulse, his tongue simply snaked out across his own lips and he offered her a nod. "Yeah…Yeah, you too."

"Well, um, I better get back to my place. But uh, I was kinda hoping maybe you'd be able to help me finish getting the rest of my stuff put up in my classroom sometime this weekend. It's just, I can't exactly lift heavy boxes or climb ladders right now." Her free hand rubbed her belly. "Strenuous activity isn't exactly good for the baby."

The use of the word strenuous activity had Daryl's mind wandering to places it probably shouldn't be. He shook his head to clear his impure thoughts and he had to play back what she'd just asked him in his mind to focus on what she'd asked him to do. "Yeah, ain't no problem. I'd be glad to give you a hand."

Carol smiled triumphantly. "Good. I'll see you some tomorrow then?"

"Mhm. See you then."

Carol turned to step away, but didn't let go of his hand until she absolutely had to. She cast one last, long look over her shoulder, smiled brightly at Daryl, then walked up the steps to her part of the house.

Daryl's eyes flicked down to his now empty hand and he couldn't help but feel like something was missing now, like something had been missing for a long time, but that maybe he'd found it.

 **This one was short. Next chapter we're getting to the start of their weekend away together. I know, it's been a long time coming. I'm going to try my best to update this again Tuesday.**


	25. Chapter 25

Daryl was waiting at his house for Rick to show up and borrow some tools the following Thursday evening. Rick was supposed to be going with Lori to pick out a crib for baby Carl tomorrow and he didn't have what he needed to put it together. Daryl would more than likely be helping Rick put the damn thing together for the kid, except tomorrow was the day he was going to be to be leaving with Carol to go to that hunting convention.

The thought of going to the hunting convention sent a nervous tingle throughout his body and he could feel his stomach coil in knots. Things were different between them somehow now. Since he realized how he felt. Since they walked home holding hands that night. Something was just _different_.

He wasn't sure he knew what exactly it was that had changed or even if he was just imagining it, but there seemed to a sort of palpable tension in the air whenever they were together now. A thickness seemed to loom in the air, one that was full of anticipation, expectation, hesitation, and uncertainty. And Daryl couldn't help but feel anxious about how much that tension was going to manifest itself when they were alone together from Friday until Sunday a whole three hours away from home and everything he knew.

And the worst part was that it wasn't even like they'd been alone since that night, and that made him even more damn nervous. He'd gone to help her with her classroom on Saturday, but Maggie and Glenn showed up to. Then the four of them had ended up hanging out at Carol's place after and Maggie stayed the night with her. Sunday, Axel called Daryl and asked him if he could come help in to his body shop and help him catch up on some work because one of his guys had been out sick and he'd gotten behind. He was dog tired by the time he got back home and ended up passing out on the couch. Monday, Rick and Lori had invited the two of them over to their place for a grill out. On Tuesday, Carol has left to go visit with her friends Tara and Denise for a few days and she actually wouldn't be back until late tonight, which likely meant he wouldn't see her again until they were supposed to leave for their weekend trip.

And damn it if he hadn't fucking thought about her the whole time she'd been gone. He'd felt an ache in his chest at not being able to see her. At being so far away from her. At not being able to talk to her like he wanted to. Sure, she'd called him once _. Once._ That first night she'd been gone. She'd called him before bed, but Daryl hadn't ever been good at talking on the phone and that conversation didn't last long because all he'd really said the whole time was "Mhm" or "Yep" or some indistinguishable grunt.

All of this was so foreign to him. Missing her. Wanting to be around her. Being unbelievably attracted to her. _Liking_ her. And it confused the fuck out of him. Because he didn't even know if he wanted to feel this way, but he couldn't stop it. He couldn't turn it off. And he damn sure didn't know if she felt the same way about him, or even if she could.

Why would she? She was about to give birth in a few months. She'd probably wanna focus on her daughter, on being a first-time mom, she wouldn't wanna be bothered with a mess like him. Would she? And shouldn't the fact that she was having a kid turn him off? Shouldn't it send him running for higher ground? Except it didn't. In fact, for some reason he wasn't sure he'd ever understand, the little girl she was carrying made him seemed to draw him in even more.

Even if the kid wasn't in the situation, what did he really have to offer her? He'd never been in a relationship before, he wouldn't know what the hell he was doing with her. Shit, he barely had experience with women period, he'd most likely be an utter disappointment to her.

The hum of Rick's engine pulling in his driveway startled Daryl out of his deep thoughts. He took one last drag of the cigarette he'd been smoking and stubbed it out on the brick steps he was sitting on. Rick got out of his car and the two spoke, then Daryl led his friend inside to lend Rick the tools.

"Why's she making you get the crib already anyway?" Daryl asked as he handed Rick a beer from the fridge. "Baby ain't due for another few months. Hell, Carol ain't even got hers yet and she's due before Lori."

Rick just shrugged and popped the tab on the beer. "She's excited. It's our first baby. She wants to enjoy all these little moments as much as she can. You know?

No, Daryl didn't know. Because he hadn't had ever had kids and he didn't know the first thing about a woman's first pregnancy other than it made them hurl when they smelled certain foods. Or in Lori's case, according to Rick, sometimes it transformed them into a raging hormonal spawn of Satan who'd apparently rather tear them a new asshole than have sex with the father of their kid. All Daryl really knew was Lori was always making Rick do something these days, and nine times out of ten it had something to do with the baby. "Carol's excited, too. Smiles all the time when she talks about her little girl moving around inside of her or getting to meet her for the first time. But she still ain't going out like you and Lori and doing all this stuff before she actually has to do it."

"Yeah, well," Rick paused and considered his choice of words, "you said yourself when you painted Sophia's room that it's a little different for her. She doesn't have someone to share that experience with. Maybe that's why she hadn't painted the room just yet. Maybe it wasn't just because she couldn't do it herself or needed someone's help, maybe it's just harder for her to do that alone."

Daryl took a long sip of his own beer, when he was done he brought his thumb up to the side of his mouth and chewed on the edge of his cuticle while starting down contemplatively at the silver tab.

Rick leaned against the kitchen counter and stared at his friend. He watched the unfamiliar flow of emotions wash over Daryl's face. He watched the troubled look fill his friend's eyes as they changed to a darker shade of blue. He set his beer on the counter and folded his arms around his waist. Silently, he watched Daryl waiting for his expression to change. When it didn't, he worked up the nerve to ask him something he'd been avoiding for a while now. "You like her, don't you?"

Daryl dropped his thumb and his head jerked up. "What?"

"Carol," Rick chuckled. "You like her. Like, _really_ like her."

Daryl's cheeks burned and he scoffed, his eyes flicking to the laminate wood floor below. "No I don't!" He spat out defensively, like a young boy would if his was best friend was teasing him about having his first crush.

Rick's brows rose. "Yeah? You sure about that?

Ever so slightly, Daryl peeked up. His voice rising just above a whisper. "Why? Did she tell Lori something? Does she like me?"

"I thought you didn't like her."

Daryl grunted. "Don't like her." It was one thing to admit it to himself, it was a whole other thing to start admitting it out loud to other people.

In response, Rick grinned and shook his head, guzzling down the last bit of beer. "Guess it doesn't matter either way then." He patted Daryl on the back and pointed to the door. "Listen, I gotta head out. Lori's making pot roast for dinner and she wanted me to pick up some carrots on my way home. I don't feel like getting chewed out if I take too long and she can't start on it when she wants."

"Alright," Daryl muttered, nervously bringing his thumb back to his lips and beginning to gnaw at his cuticle.

Rick grinned and picked up the tools he'd left resting on the table and headed for the door. "I'll bring these back on Monday. You and Carol have fun this weekend."

()()()

It was late Thursday night and Carol was exhausted. She'd been driving for a few hours now and was just getting back into town from visiting with Tara and Denise. After trying to have a child through artificial insemination unsuccessfully the couple had decided to adopt a child and the adoption agency they were using was conducting interviews with their family and closest friends. They'd asked Carol to be a reference for them and she couldn't say no. Not after how much Tara had helped her cope with her unexpected pregnancy in the beginning. She thought the interview had gone really well and she was hopeful that everything would work out for the couple.

On her way home, she decided to stop by her uncle Hershel's and drop the key to her place off with Maggie. She'd forgotten to do that earlier in the week and needed her cousin to water her plants for her while she was gone. She'd gotten Daryl to use his key and do it for her while she was at Tara's but he'd be with her this weeken. When she arrived and knocked on the door, Hershel was the one to answer, not Maggie.

"Carol? I didn't realize you were stopping by. Is everything okay with you and the baby?"

"Oh, yeah. We're fine," she assured him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you coming by this late. I was just getting in from my friend Tara's and needed to drop my key off to Maggie so she can water my plants while I'm gone. I didn't wanna forget before I left in the morning."

Hershel's brows creased and he looked at her with confusion. "Leave? You're just getting back."

That was when it hit Carol that she hadn't actually told her uncle she was going away with Daryl for the weekend. She was surprised Maggie or Glenn hadn't mentioned it to him, or for that matter Daryl or Merle. "I'm going to that hunting convention with Daryl for the weekend. I'll be back late Sunday night."

His hand swept through his thinning white hair and he whistled through his teeth. "You didn't think to tell me you were going away with Daryl for the weekend?"

Carol couldn't bite back the laugh at the protective tone Hershel just expressed. "I wasn't aware that I had to have your permission. I'm a grown woman, one who's seven months pregnant with her first child. Asking my uncle if I can go away with a friend for a weekend wasn't exactly my first thought when I agreed to go."

"Is that what Daryl is to you? Your friend?"

Carol's brows rose and she hugged herself, her elbows resting atop her swollen belly. "I'd say so. And he's been a pretty good one so far. I don't get it, I thought you liked Daryl. You're the one who said I should move into the place he and Merle were renting. You said he was a really good guy. And he is. Or he _has_ been. He painted Sophia's room for me, Uncle Hershel."

"I think the world of Daryl. You should know that from everything I've said about the boy, Carol."

"Well, then why does it seem like you don't want me to go this convention with him?"

Hershel smiled, not his usual warm smile, but an almost weary one. "It isn't that I don't want you to go away with him. It's just, I wanna know what he means to you before you go away with him for the weekend. I don't want anyone to get hurt."

Carol felt floored, she'd damn sure never mentioned her crush on Daryl to Hershel. She hadn't even mentioned to Maggie that she realized how she felt about him, unless Maggie mentioned to Hershel Carol felt sexually attracted to him. That would be mortifying if her uncle thought she was going away with Daryl this weekend to get some kinda fix. "Listen, I don't know what Maggie told you, but I'm not going away with Daryl to….to sleep with him or something."

Hershel's eyes grew wide and he quickly held up a hand. "Maggie didn't say anything at all, damn sure nothing like that. That would've been the last thing on my mind. Although, now I might be thinking it since you jumped to that conclusion."

She bit down on the inside of her lip and grimaced, her cheeks burned fiery red and she averted her gaze away from Hershel and to the front lawn.

Hershel didn't waste any time getting straight to the point. "Do you like him? Daryl? Do you have feelings for him?

She moved her eyes without moving her head and swallowed, feeling like she'd choke on her own saliva as it made its way down her throat. "I…He's...Yes."

Hershel's smiled turned from weary to content. "Well then, I hope the two of you have a lovely weekend together.

"Wait, you want me to like Daryl? You're…You're okay with it? You don't think it's absurd or I'm rushing things or that I have no business going after a man while I'm pregnant?"

"I don't proclaim to understand why certain things happen in life or why sometimes we're dealt the hands we're dealt. Sometimes life gives us things at the most unexpected times and in the most unexpected ways. I sure never would have dreamed I'd meet Annette so soon after losing Joanne, but I did and I'm glad I did. A lot of people said it'd be inappropriate for us to pursue something at the time, we were the talk of the town for a while." Hershel chuckled lightly." But it didn't matter what other people thought. It mattered what _we_ felt. And we both knew how we felt about each other. I just ask you two to be sure of the same thing before you take this any farther."

()()()

"You heading out?" Merle asked Daryl the next morning when his little brother stepped into the kitchen from his bedroom with a small backpack on his shoulders.

"Yep." Daryl replied. "Carol's about to meet me out front."

"You two have fun this weekend. Don't do nothing I wouldn't do. In fact, for once, do something I would do." Merle winked at his baby brother.

Daryl rolled his eyes at Merle and headed for the front door. "Have fun in the mountains. Don't forget to lock the house up. Don't want nobody stealing my shit while I'm gone."

Merle pressed his index and bird finger together and rested them against his eyebrow before saluting. "Oh, I won't. Scouts honor." He watched as Daryl tossed up a hand and waved goodbye and he couldn't suppress the wicked grin that swept across his face.

He knew Daryl had realized how he felt about Carol after how he stormed off from work last week. He'd even gone to look for him because he'd been worried about how Daryl might handle realizing that. But then he'd kinda got side tracked after he'd come up empty checking their normal fishing holes and hunting spots and chanced trying to look for his baby brother at the bar. Instead of continuing his hunt for Daryl, he'd gotten a little tipsy instead and flirted it up with some blond.

Later, when that didn't go as planned, he'd gotten someone to drop him off at the end of their road and walked up on Daryl and Carol holding hands in front of their door. Normally, Merle would have used that as an opportunity to make a scene and embarrass the hell out Daryl by teasing him about it for days to come.

But not this time. No sir. Not this time at all. Instead, Merle realized that moment was an important one for those two and that he needed to step his game up to move things along for the two of them. His little brother needed to get him a piece of that while he still could before she got too far along to even consider letting him hit it.

()()()

When Daryl walked outside Carol was already waiting on him. He couldn't help the involuntary way his lips twitched into a grin at the sight of her after not seeing her for two days. He tried to bite down the excitement, but he couldn't force that lopsided grin away.

"You miss me?" Carol teased him.

Daryl shrugged, but his lips were still twitched upwards.

"I'll take that as a maybe," she giggled.

"You have fun?" He asked her, even though he really wanted to ask her if she'd missed him.

"I did. Tara was my best friend for a long time and it was good seeing her again. But uh, I think I might've missed home a little bit too."

"Guess you're about to be missing it again," he responded.

With closed lips, she smiled and shook her head. "I don't know about that." She nodded over her shoulder when he didn't respond. "You think you can help me with those?"

His eyes grew wide when he looked behind Carol and found three packed bags. "The hell is all that? You moving back to Atlanta or something?"

"Did you even bring a change of clothes?" She countered.

He turned around to show her his backpack. "Got everything I need for a few nights in here." He nodded to her stuff. "I don't think all your stuff's gonna fit on my bike."

"Your bike?" She shook her head rapidly. "We can't take your bike."

"What, you ain't rode one before? You ain't gotta be scared, I'm a good driver, I ain't gonna wreck. Especially not with you on there. Wouldn't ever do nothing to hurt you or the baby."

She smiled at his comment, her heart filling with a strange warmth at his words. "No, it's not that. I just can't ride the bike right now. The vibrations and all the bouncing can send me into early labor."

Daryl looked embarrassed, as if he should have known that. "Oh. Damn. I was looking forward to riding this weekend. Weather's real pretty and all. Wanted you to get to ride with me."

"I'm sorry we can't take it. I know you love your bike and we probably should have talked about riding arrangements beforehand." She pointed to her round belly. "Tell you what, soon as I pop her out I'll let you take me for a ride whenever you want." As soon as the words left her mouth she flushed and noticed Daryl was just as red as her face felt.

()()()

They ended up taking Carol's jeep, but Daryl drove because he knew where they were going. The two of them talked the whole way there and it wasn't filled with as much tension as Daryl had been expecting. In fact, there wasn't much really any tension at all, just easy conversation that he'd missed like hell the two days she'd been visiting her friend.

Finally, after three hours in the car, he pulled into the motel he and Merle stayed at every year. They walked in tandem to the front desk and got the key cards to the room. It was a different room than they usually stayed in, Daryl knew because it was on the complete opposite side of the building, but he didn't think much of it at the time, he just assumed the room they usually got was booked up and they'd be given a different one.

But Daryl was in for the shock of his life when he slid that key card into the slot and opened the door the of room the two of them would be sharing for the weekend. His eyes were wide as saucers, mouth gaping, as he dropped Carol's bags the moment the door opened fully and he saw that, instead of having two queen sized beds like her and Merle usually got when they stayed at this place, this new room only had one full sized bed.


	26. Chapter 26

"Wow, I had no idea you and Merle were so close," Carol chuckled. Halfway out of amusement and halfway out of sheer surprise at finding a only one double bed in the motel room she'd be sharing with Daryl for the weekend.

Daryl's wide eyes shot over and met Carol's, a low, rumbling growl emitted from the back of his throat and he shook his head. He could feel that his cheeks were warm with embarrassment, but the annoyance he felt at his brother in the moment overshadowed any shyness he should be expressing. "We ain't. Son of a bitch probably did this on purpose."

Her brows furrowed. "Why would he do that?"

"I…Uh…He…" Well, fuck. Daryl couldn't right well tell her that his brother knew he had a crush on her and had concocted this whole weekend getaway because of it, all the way down to them sharing a freaking bed! "Because he's a fucking asshole. That's why," Daryl muttered, his thumb instinctively finding its way to his lips for comfort at the anxiety he was feeling.

Carol shifted anxiously on the balls of her feet and protectively wrapped her arms low around her protruding waist. Daryl seemed pretty upset about the prospect of there only being one bed in the room and he seemed almost repulsed by the idea of sharing it with her. What the hell was she thinking letting herself get crushed out on him like that? Of course he wouldn't entertain the idea of anything with her right now! She'd just thought after the way they held hands the other night that maybe part of him did, or could, want something with her. But now she guessed she assumed wrong. Very wrong. "I'll go to the front desk and see if they have another room available," Carol suggested, a hint of sadness in her tone. "I can even pay for another room for myself if they don't have a double we can switch this one out for."

Daryl caught her by the forearm as soon as she tried to walk off, but he dropped her arm quickly when she turned to face him and met his eyes. "Nah, you ain't gotta do that. This trip was for me, you're a guest. I ain't gonna make you pay for a room."

"Really, it's fine," she insisted.

Daryl wouldn't hear it. He shook his head resolutely. "I'll go talk to the guy up front. See if she can switch us for the room I normally get. It's got two queens. And uh, if he can't and you still want your own room, I got it. It's on me. Whole weekend is. Be right back."

()()()

"I'm sorry Mr. Dixon," the concierge calmly told him, "but we don't have any other rooms available. It's a busy weekend and we're all booked up."

"Well, what the hell happened to the room I normally get when I stay here? Few months back when I called and made reservations I'm pretty damn sure I asked for it."

The man behind the counter tapped away at the computer, nodding his head now and again as his eyes scanned up and down the screen. "Yes, it looks like you did, but our records say you called us earlier in the week and requested a change."

"Did I now?" Daryl growled.

"Yes sir, says it right here in our notes," he turned his computer screen to face Daryl. "You told us that you normally come with your brother but that this year there had been a change of plans and you'd prefer a room with one bed so you and your _"lady friend"_ would be more comfortable."

"Asshole," Daryl mumbled.

"Excuse me?" The man barked, looking severely offended.

"Not you. My brother. He made that phone call. Not me."

"Well, what's done is done," he said simply, shooting him a look that said he wasn't entirely convinced Daryl hadn't been referring to him with his crass comment. "We spoke with a Mr. Dixon who claimed to be you and asked for the change and there isn't anything we can do about it now. There's no other room available."

Daryl's hands rested on his hips and he whistled through his teeth. "I got that part already. Look, just bring me up a cot or something."

"Sorry sir, no more cots available."

"You shitting me here?"

The man shook his head, that severely offended look returning.

Daryl growled again. "Thanks for all your help," he grumbled and stomped off.

"Can I ask you something?" The man called out curiously, stopping Daryl in his tracks just before he opened the door to walk out of the check-in area.

"Yeah?" He muttered.

"Why don't you wanna share the bed with your girlfriend? I mean, it looks like you already got her pregnant. I just don't get what the big deal is. Is she a bed hog? Does she hit you in your sleep or something? Does being pregnant make her not wanna be anywhere near you? My cousin said that…"

Without letting the man finish his thoughts Daryl jumped in with, "I didn't! She ain't my! That baby in her belly ain't…" His face as red as a tomato, he angrily waved the man off and huffed, "You're fucking nosey as hell," He didn't elaborate any further and pushed the door open as hard as he could and stomped back to their room.

()()()

When he walked back into their room he noticed Carol was sitting on the edge of the bed, absentmindedly flipping through channels on the TV. She turned to look at him and he gave her a small nod. He'd calmed himself down drastically before stepping inside, smoking two whole cigarettes before going back in to face her so he didn't end up taking out any of his frustrations at their predicament out on her.

She put the remote down and gave him her full attention. "Any luck?"

He shook his head no and walked over and sat down beside her, leaving as much distance as he could between them. He felt that heavy tension settling between them again sitting on a bed like that. They'd never been on a bed together before and it made his chest feel right, problem was that it wasn't the only thing thoughts of him, her, and a bed made feel tight. "Place is booked up. Probably because of the convention. Ain't even got no cot they can bring in."

"Well, I can take the floor I suppose."

"Like hell!" He snorted, making it clear that her sleeping on the floor was out of the question.

"You can't seriously think I'd ask you to sleep on the floor all weekend when you're the one paying for the room?"

"And you can't seriously think I'd let a pregnant woman sleep on the floor all weekend!" He countered. "Wouldn't make you do that if you weren't pregnant. Ain't right," he added, though his voice was much quieter and more hesitant.

"Daryl," she softly began, "I don't feel right making you sleep on the floor when you're paying all this money for us to stay here."

"Slept on worse than this worse floor," he told her. "Hell, I camp all the time. Used to sleeping on the hard ass ground. This won't be nothing to me."

"But it would bother me."

"Well it ain't like we got much choice. Ain't like you'd wanna share the bed with me all damn weekend."

Carol titled her head to the side and studied him. Maybe he didn't find sharing a bed with her repulsive after all. Maybe he just didn't think she'd want him in the bed with her. After all, it was clear the man didn't have the most confidence in the world. Especially not with women. "I wouldn't mind."

"You wanna sleep with me?" He blurted out, his hand running over his face the moment he realized how that sounded. "I mean, uh, you wanna sleep in the bed with me?"

She nodded and couldn't help but grin at how flustered he'd made himself. "I'd prefer it." His blush deepened and his blue eyes widened and she felt compelled to add, "I mean, to you sleeping on the floor. I'd prefer to share a bed rather than you have to do that."

His lips twitched into a half grin. He wasn't sure why, because the idea of sharing a bed with her all weekend was a terrible fucking idea. He knew how he felt about her, he knew he was attracted to her, this had bad idea written all over it. And it made his stomach coil and his chest burn and he was anxious as hell about it, but he also an unexplainable sense of excitement, and what was it? Happiness? "If you're sure that's what you want." He mumbled, trying like hell to play it off like it was no big deal.

"It is," she smiled.

 **(Good news for those of you still reading and enjoying this story. I've got my groove back with this and have the next 2 or 3 chapters mapped out. Possibly more.)**


	27. Chapter 27

"I've never seen so many deer heads in one place!" Carol commented as she and Daryl walked away from the White Tail Deer Competition area. The convention had a competition where people could bring in their mounted bucks and the biggest one would win a prize. They had different categories that included best in show, best by youth, best by female, best by firearm, and best by archery.

"The one I kill this fall is gonna be bigger than the one that took the prize back there," Daryl stated confidently as the two walked in tandem towards the next event area. "Me and Merle, we've got a bet going on. We do it every year, we usually bet money but this year we're doing dares. Loser has to do what the winner wants. I'm gonna find the biggest damn buck in Georgia."

Carol paused her steps and arched a brow at Daryl. "And what exactly are you gonna dare Merle to do? Your brother doesn't exactly seem the type to have any shame."

"He don't," Daryl agreed, stopping his steps to stand next to her. "Ain't about what he's gonna have to do. It's what he ain't gonna be able to do."

She looked at him curiously and the corner of her lip twitched into a light smile. "Oh?"

He nodded, a half smirk of his own gracing his normally serious face. "See, Merle, he likes to, uh fool around. _A lot_. And a he likes to fool around with a lot of different women."

"Okay?" She sounded slightly confused at his plan.

"Well, when I win he ain't gonna able to do that for two months."

Carol snorted, the kind of snort that she was sure made her sound like a dying pig. She covered her mouth in embarrassment from the noise she'd just made.

"What's so funny?'

She shook her head. "Nothing, it's just, you're _really_ going to dare your brother not to have sex for two months?" She let out a girlish giggle and her eyes twinkled in amusement. "I had no idea you were so devious, Daryl Dixon."

He hummed at her, "Ain't devious. Just know my brother. It's the thing that'd bother him most. He's always doing shit to get under my skin, and I can't ever really get him back for it. I mean, not really." Daryl shrugged a shoulder and took a step forward, motioning his head for her to follow him. "Besides," he continued as they began walking again, "There's this one girl he fools around with, the one he's in the mountains with this weekend, I think if he'd ever stop worrying about the next place he could put his dick he might wake up and realize he's got a pretty decent girl in front of him."

Carol was surprised at Daryl's words. In fact, she was so surprised that she couldn't hide it when she squeaked out, "You want Merle to have a girlfriend?"

"I want Merle to stop getting the damn clap," Daryl muttered. "I want Merle to stop getting both of our assess into fights when some angry husband or boyfriend shows up at our doorstep pissed off that Merle fucked his woman." He cut his eyes in at her. "I don't wanna make an ass of myself next time some pregnant lady shows up at my door wanting to rent a room because I automatically assume my dumb ass brother knocked her up."

She saw the smile in his eyes and she rolled hers playfully. "And here I was thinking you were secretly some hopeless romantic."

"Stop," he muttered, dipping his head.

She nudged his shoulder with hers, and at the same moment baby Sophia kicked her with all of her little might. Carol let out a gasp and grabbed her stomach at the unexpected jolt.

Instinctively, Daryl reached out and grabbed her free arm. His voice was almost frantic when he hastily asked, "You alright?'

She chuckled and waved her hand up and down over her belly where Sophia was still kicking away. "I'm fine. She's just kicking up a storm in there. I'm starting to think she's going to be a soccer player. The past week or so her kicks have gotten so strong." Out of instinct she went to reach for his hand and place it over her belly so he could feel what she was talking about. But he must've seen her hand coming for his because he instantly dropped the grip he'd had on her arm and took a step back, his eyes were wide with surprise, and maybe even fear. "Sorry," she mumbled, her cheeks tinged pink from embarrassment at what she'd almost done.

"You ain't gotta be sorry. I just..." He blew out a heavy breath. "You scared the fuck out of me."

"I didn't mean to. I know you don't like being touched much. I shouldn't have reached for your hand…"

"Not that," he interrupted, shaking his head. What she said was true, he didn't like being touched, he never had, but he was starting to like her touch. He was starting to look forward to it and secretly hope for it. "I just thought you were about to go into labor or some shit. Didn't even see you trying to grab my hand." His brows raised. "You tried to grab my hand?"

"When Sophia was kicking, I was gonna let you feel it. I don't know why, I guess it's just habit. Maggie likes to feel the baby kick. Glenn does too. Uncle Hershel and Aunt Annette, Beth, sometimes Shawn even. And then when I was staying with my friends Tara and Denise earlier in the week they'd both yell at me if I didn't let them know when she was kicking."

"Oh." He'd briefly wondered after she said that if she wanted to hold his hand again, and that thought made his stomach do that nervous flutter he was growing so accustomed to these days. He didn't know what he'd have done if she'd have placed his hand on her belly. He'd certainly never felt a baby kicking inside of someone before. Lori had tried to make him feel Carl moving once, the whole idea had seemed weird as fuck to him and he'd told her, "hell nah," and walked away.

Carol cleared her throat to eliminate the silence that settled between them. "So, are we gonna go check out those knives you wanted to look at?"

For the millionth time today, Daryl's eyes lit up like a little kid's in a candy store and he nodded excitedly, a certain light quality taking over his entire body. "Hell yeah! Let's go!"

()()()

When Carol initially agreed to come to this hunting convention with Daryl she hadn't expected that she'd end up having such a good time. Hunting had never been something that really interested her, and neither had guns or knives. She'd halfway assumed she'd be bored out of her mind while she followed Daryl around to every event and stand he wanted to go to.

Except she found she wasn't bored at all. In fact, she was enjoying herself. Not because anything at the convention particularly interested her at all, but because of how much fun it seemed like Daryl was having. Every little smile that escaped his lips as he came across some new gun or knife or bow, or some seminar on hunting related topics she wouldn't even pretend she understood anything about, those little smiles filled her heart with such warmth. He was so damn handsome and she doubted he realized how attractive he really was.

They were walking side by side, like they had been all day, when their hands bumped together for what seemed like the millionth time. Throughout the day, each time that had happened they'd shared a shy look and took a small step away from another, putting a bit of distance between them.

But not this time. No, this time Daryl did something that downright shocked her. The fact that it was coming from Daryl shocked her anyway. He didn't pull away, instead, she felt his thumb brush over one of her fingers, and when she chanced a glance up at him he was giving her a hesitant, hopeful look. A slight fear lingered in his gaze, as if he was afraid she might snatch her hand away in disgust. She watched him swallow and tense, but before he could pull his hand away she smiled at him sweetly placed her hand in his. Her wove his fingers through hers and she gave his hand a firm, reassuring squeeze. Behind closed lips, she watched a satisfied smirk arose on his lips as they strolled hand in hand throughout the convention center.

()()()

Several events later Carol winced in pain as they reached the top of a flight of stairs. She was winded and her back and feet were killing her. As much as she was enjoying spending the day with Daryl and watching him have such a good time, she was slap give out at this point. Even the hand holding they'd been doing wasn't enough to distract her anymore.

Daryl's ears picked up on the painful noise she emitted and he watched as she pulled in a few deep breaths. He titled his head to study her. "You good?"

"I'm exhausted," she admitted, looking apologetic. "I can't remember the last time I did this much walking, but I know I wasn't carrying around 30 extra pounds whenever that was."

He nodded to a food court a few feet away where several food vendors were set up. "Why don't you go sit down. I'll grab us something to eat and then we can go back to the motel."

The smell of food was already making her mouth water. "Are you sure? I mean, I don't want you to have to leave just because of me. There's still a lot of stuff you were talking about wanting to do. There was that archery competition that starts in an hour…"

"We'll be here tomorrow. It'll be fine. I should've thought about it being a lot on you walking around this whole place.'

"If you're sure," she replied, feeling relieved he didn't sound upset at all about the fact that they were cutting the day short.

"Mhm. I'm sure. Go on and sit down. I'll be right back." He let go of her hand and nodded to one of the food stands. "Pizza sound good?"

"Daryl, I'd eat a horse right now," she chuckled. "Whatever you want is fine."

He grunted and shook his head, heading for the pizza stand as Carol took a seat at one of the black metal tables.

She let out a sigh of relief as sat down for the first time since the motel. She could feel the pressure already starting to drain from her feet and back. She peeked up to the line Daryl was standing in. It was backed up and he'd probably be waiting for a while. Her stomach rumbled and she couldn't help but hope the pizza was already made and they wouldn't have to wait for it to get done after her ordered.

The sound of a metal chair screeched against the tile floor, she thought nothing of it since she was in the middle of a food court in a packed building, but then a feminine voice caught her attention when it asked, "How far along are you?" She turned in her seat to see a woman she didn't recognize. One who looked maybe a few years younger than her. The woman was pale and had long black hair pulled back into a ponytail and she was sporting a pink camouflage shirt. She looked to be as pregnant as Carol, if not farther along. Carol smiled politely and replied, "7 months. And you?"

"Eight," the woman chuckled and shook her head. "I can't believe our husbands dragged us here like this. My feet are freaking killing me."

"Mine are too," Carol agreed, "But I've gotta confess, I wasn't dragged here. I willingly tagged along." She held up both hands to reveal she wasn't wearing a ring. "There was no husband involved either."

The woman looked sheepish. "Sorry, I guess I just assume with you being pregnant and all. I shouldn't do that. I wasn't married with my first either."

"It's alright," Carol assured her. Though she didn't take direct offense at the woman's assumption, it was still one of those things that did sting a little whenever someone asked it.

"Is this your first?" The woman inquired, seeing fit to continue the conversation.

Carol nodded and smiled proudly. "She is."

"I'm having a little girl this time, too," she pointed to the line Daryl was standing in. "That man with the ducks unlimited hat, he's my husband." The man was tall and lanky and he was sporting a camo shirt and tattered jeans. A little boy with dark skin and jet black hair was standing next to, he was dressed almost just like the man. "That's my son with him."

"You have a lovely family," Carol told her. Thinking back, she'd noticed them walking together earlier. She remembered because this chatty woman sitting next to her was the only other pregnant woman she'd seen in at the convention and at one point when they'd passed them the woman looked as miserable as Carol felt now.

The dark-haired woman smiled in response. "Thank you." She pointed in the line to where Daryl was standing in front of her own family. "That's your boyfriend, right? You two make a cute couple. I'm sure you both can't wait to meet your daughter."

Carol felt her face pale and she shook her head rapidly. "Oh, Daryl and I arent', um...We're not…He's not my boyfriend."

The woman's brows furrowed in confusion. "Damn, 0 for 2 here. I didn't mean to assume again. We were walking up the stairs right behind you two. I saw you holding hands and I thought…Well, anyhow, it's good for the baby that you two get along so well."

Carol hung her head. "She's not his daughter."

"Oh…"

"Not like that," she added quickly, unsure of why she felt compelled to defend herself to a complete stranger. "I was already pregnant when we met." She groaned and shook her head. "It's all complicated."

"You're preaching to the choir, darling," the woman chuckled. "My son," she pointed to the pizza line again, "he doesn't belong to my husband. We met when I was three months pregnant."

"Really? And he was okay with that?" Normally, Carol wouldn't ask someone she didn't know such a personal question, but this woman had started this intrusive conversation, and she found herself genuinely curious to know the answer for her own personal reasons. "He still wanted to date you knowing you were going to have another man's child?"

She nodded. "Yep. Shame how some men can't take responsibility for themselves but sometimes men like my husband can step up to the plate no problem. Some men want a ready-made family. Sometimes it's what they've been looking for their whole life."

"Maybe so," Carol replied, her voice coming out just above a whisper as her eyes wandered to Daryl. One of her hands found its way to the top of her belly and she rested it there, feeling her daughter summersault below her finger tips.

()()()

When Daryl finally got out of the line with their drinks and pizza Carol was sitting there chatting with some pregnant woman at the table next to them. The guy and kid who'd been in line behind him followed and took a seat at the table with that woman. Carol said goodbye to her and told her it'd been nice talking to her.

The two ate mostly in silence, which Daryl assumed was likely due to the fact she was tired and starving, because she scarfed down two pieces of pizza before he could finish one, and he normally out ate her by a long shot. As she was ripping into his third slice and she was taking a bite of her fourth, a ruckus erupted at the table next to them where the family of three, soon to be four, was sitting. He hadn't heard any of the conversation between the trio before this due to the chattering of all the other voices in the food court, but it was impossible not to hear the little boy's rant at his parents.

"I hate you! I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!" He wailed to his mother.

The man, who Daryl had assumed was the kid's dad by the way they acted in line, stood up and sternly raised his voice at the kid. "Don't talk to your mother like that, Devin Watkins!"

"I'm not Devin Watkins, I'm Devin Porter! And you're not my real dad. I hate you too! I hate you more than I hate her! I wanna live with my real dad! If you weren't with my mom I could. I could live with them both!

Daryl watched as the kid stormed off and both parents bolted up from the table to go after him, shouting his name and for him to stop running. The pregnant woman had tears streaming down her cheeks. He glanced over at Carol, who'd been watching the scene unfold. She placed her half-eaten slice of pizza on her plate and pushed it away from her, a troubled look washing over her face.

()()()

She'd hadn't said a word through the rest of dinner. She hadn't said a word on the walk to the car. Nor had she said a word on the ride back to the motel. She hadn't even walked close enough to him so that they could possibly hold hands again. Something was off, way off.

He watched her as she kicked her shoes off once they stepped inside their room and she silently grabbed one of her bags and retreated to the bathroom. When she came out she was wearing pajama pants and a large t-shirt. She peeled the covers back and collapsed on the bed. It wasn't lost on Daryl how little room was going to be between them as they slept tonight.

He kicked his shoes off too, then tentatively crawled in bed next to her, staying as close to the edge of his side as he could. She didn't say anything for a full ten minutes, and he was finally the one to speak up, unable to take the silence any longer. "If you're this uncomfortable with me in the bed I'll sleep on the floor." She'd been fine before they ate, he couldn't help but wonder if her silence had to do with knowing they'd be sharing this bed in a short while.

"I don't want you to sleep on the floor, I want you to sleep right here" she mumbled. Her voice came out almost broken, and he hadn't heard it sound like that before. Not even when he'd painted Sophia's room and she'd cried. Though she'd been crying tears of happiness then.

He chewed at his lip, running the events of today through his head when it dawned on him. "You're upset. Is it…Is it about what happened with that lady and her kid and her husband?" He watched as her lip trembled and she bit down on it, he assumed to stifle a cry. Fuck! He really hoped she didn't cry. The thought of her crying made his gut wrench.

"I just...I felt so bad for her. I mean, she was nosy as hell, but she was really nice. And...I couldn't help but think…" she trailed off and shook her head, as if she was trying to shake the thought out of her mind.

Daryl's hands rested on top of his own stomach and he drummed his fingers. "Know what you thought. Thought about how that could be you one day. How your little girl might say that to you."

She rolled over from her back and on to her side, where she could face him, where she could search his eyes. "How'd you know that?"

"Just do," he muttered. "And I know that whatever happens, you're giving your little girl the best life possible. Kids say shit, shit they don't mean. Shit they don't even know the half of. If the asshole don't wanna be in her life, then she's better off without him."

"Maybe she is, but that doesn't mean she isn't going to blame me because he isn't here." She wiped at her eyes. "I'm so scared, Daryl. For a lot of reasons. But mostly, I'm scared I won't do it right on my own. I'm scared she's gonna be missing out. That there are some things I can't give her that a father could. I know because there are things I wanted my own dad here for after he died and he wasn't. I don't want my daughter to resent me. I don't want her to go without anything."

He paused, unsure of what to say or even how to say what he wanted to say. He finally went with, "You're gonna give her a lot. You'll be a good mama, I can tell by how you talk about her already. Hell, you're gonna do the best you can. And you got people, she's gonna have people. Hershel and Annette. Glenn and Maggie. Shawn and Beth. She's got a family that loves her. That's a hell of a lot more than some kids get. _Trust me_." As it always did when he was about to say something that made him nervous, his thumb found its way to his lips and his teeth went to work on his nail. "Already told you, as long as I'm around, I'll be here for you too. For the kid."

His words had more of an impact on her than she was sure he could ever know, they made her heart swell, and though it didn't erase her fears, he'd made her feel a hell of a lot better than she had since they were in that food court. Her emotions were all over the place at the moment, but she couldn't help but look at him curiously and ask him a question that had been eating away at her. "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why will you be here? For me and Sophia? Why did you paint her room? I've just been wondering this whole time?"

His chest felt heavy and his words caught in his throat. Her pretty, blue, damp eyes were trained on his, and in that moment, he felt like she could see into his soul. Like if he tried to tell her anything less than the truth that she'd see straight through it. "At first I think I did it because no one ever did that for my mama," he admitted, his own voice shaky. "She uh," he cleared his throat, "she wasn't like you. She didn't have no education. She had no job skills and when my daddy took off on her when I was 5 and Merle was 10 she just kinda jumped from man to man. Whoever could help pay the bills that month or do shit around the house. Ain't none of them ever turned out to be worth a shit. Some worse than others, but none of them good. Not to her, damn sure not to us."

Carol reached out and stroked his arm, he tensed but didn't flinch. "I'm sorry." He just confirmed every suspicion she had that he'd been abused and been around abuse almost his entire childhood, but it broke her heart to actually hear him say it.

His eyes flicked to where her hand was running up and down his bicep, in any other circumstance he might found that arousing, but right now he found it oddly comforting and it helped him continue saying what he needed to tell her. "I just…I didn't want you to ever have to do that. You know? To turn to some piece of shit guy for something. I didn't want you to feel like you didn't have anyone, not like I know my mama felt. I couldn't stand of thinking someone doing to you and your kid what those guys did to my mama or to me and Merle. So, I guess I thought if I was around it wouldn't happen. But then I guess I realized that it ain't the same for you as it was for her. Like I said, you got people. People that give a damn. Sophia's got family that already loves her and is gonna be here for her."

Carol swallowed hard, her hand coming to a rest and ceasing its movements up and down his firm arms. Hesitantly, and with guarded eyes, she said, "You said at fist that's why you did it, why you wanted to be here for us. Well…What about…What about now?"

He licked his lips, rolling over onto his side so they were face to face. Her big blue eyes were still staring at him, threatening to penetrate his soul. His own eyes flicked to the white bed sheets because he couldn't meet hers when he mumbled, "You know…"

"Yeah," came her reply, all soft and sweet. "I think I do." Her delicate hand caressed his scruffy cheek, then moved and brushed his bangs to the side, causing him to gaze back up at her. She smiled at him, then cautiously leaned in and placed a tender kiss on his lips.


	28. Chapter 28

Carol wasn't exactly sure what she'd been thinking when she decided it would be a good idea to lean in and kiss Daryl. Maybe she hadn't really been thinking at all. She certainly hadn't taken the time to think her decision out and weigh the ramifications of such an action. If she had given herself time to dwell on it, she likely would have pulled back and stopped herself.

All she knew was that she'd felt completely terrified about how her life as single mother to her daughter was going to play out only a few minutes prior and he'd been the one to pull her back from that. He'd been the one to make her feel better. To make her feel capable. To make her feel like maybe, just maybe, she was going to do right by her child.

And he'd done so by opening-up with her. Being completely vulnerable and sharing painful parts of his past she was almost certain he hadn't ever told anyone before. Knowing he could do that, knowing he could be that open and honest with her, that he could break down those walls, it made her wonder if maybe he could be open to something more between the two of them. And it left her wanting to take a chance with him. To show him how she felt about him.

So, she'd simply blocked out anything in her mind that might stop her from making such a decision and she'd let her heart and her body take the lead in that moment.

She'd gone into the move completely unprepared, and it was safe to say she didn't have any expectations of what this kiss might bring or how Daryl would even react to such a thing. But the moment her lips bushed against his in that hesitant moment she started freaking the hell out about how terribly wrong this could go.

What if she scared him off? What if she just ruined all the progress they made? What if he bolted out of the motel room? What if? What if? What if?

She was sure she'd forgotten how to breath, she damn sure she knew she'd forgotten how to move. Her body was frozen, her lips lingering on his, waiting for him to react. To freak out. To pull away from her, possibly forever.

And he did react. He pulled away, placing a small gap between them. His lips were parted, eyes wide with surprise as he stared at her with confusion and uncertainty and something she couldn't read as those eyes of his shifted to a darker shade of blue than she'd ever seen them before.

Carol swallowed hard and dropped her hand from where it was resting on the side of his face. She was trying to form the words to apologize, she was trying to bite back at a tear at how foolish she felt for making an ass out of herself, all she wanted to do was disappear and melt into the bed sheets. "Daryl," she began, her voice catching in her throat, "I…I'm…" she hadn't even finished her sentence in her head when, in one swift motion, he bridged the distance between them that he'd created and moved his lips over hers, stunning her.

()()()

Holy fuck! He was kissing her. She'd kissed him first and it had shocked the hell out of him. He had no idea it was coming and he didn't know what to say or do at first. She'd been about to cry and then the next thing he knew she was asking him questions he thought he didn't wanna answer, things he didn't think he could admit out loud. But somehow, he had, in his own Daryl way. He'd told her how he felt, even if he hadn't been able to look her in the eye when he did it.

But even then, he hadn't been expecting a kiss. He hadn't expected she might feel the same way.

When she'd fucking kissed him and if he thought any small touch he'd received from her had taken his breath away before, this had completely knocked the wind out him! He had to pull back to gather his bearings, to take a second and see if it was really happening.

And in that second, she must have thought she'd done something wrong, because her warm hand fell from its comfortable place on his cheek, and the way she was looking at him was like she was so ashamed, so embarrassed, humiliated, hurt even. And it almost looked like she was biting back tears again, and he didn't want her thinking she'd done something he hadn't wanted her to, something he didn't like. Because he had liked it. He'd liked it a hell of a lot more than he ever expected he would when he thought about kissing her. He liked it a hell of a lot more than he ever thought he might like such a simple gesture as a chaste kiss on the lips. And it had left him aching for more.

So, he ignored every fucking impulse his body had engrained in itself over the years that told him to keep his distance, to not get too close to someone, to not want intimate moments like this with anyone, and he lunged himself at her, pressing his lips against hers.

Out of sheer nervous habit, his tongue ended up snaking out across his own lips, and she must have taken it as an invitation that he was trying to deepen the kiss, because the next thing he knew her lips parted and her own tongue snaked out and dipped over his lips. His body shivered at the unexpected contact, a chill ran down his spine, and it took him a minute to react. But when her palm found its way back to his stubbly cheek, he parted his lips and eagerly chased her tongue with his.

()()()

Okay, maybe she hadn't fucked up completely. Maybe she hadn't fucked up at all.

He was kissing her back. Him. Daryl. He initiated it this time.

And not only did he initiate it, he made the move to take it to the next level. To move things from chaste and innocent to…Well…Hot Damn!

That's about the only thing to describe what was going on between them right now.

The moment Daryl licked her lips and she parted her mouth to invite his tongue in, he'd met hers eagerly. Far more eagerly than she'd ever expected him to. In fact, she'd had to make the move to slow things down a bit as his was tongue was tangling aggressively with hers.

She moaned against his lips as their tongues danced together. It had been 5 long months since she'd kissed a man, and she was almost certain she'd never kissed a man like this before. This kiss was so powerful, so passionate, it was everything she'd ever imagined the perfect kiss would be like.

But even with the fire of the kiss, Daryl was still leaving some distance between them, as if he was scared he might get too close to her. She was pretty certain his hands were still down at his side, not daring to roam her body just yet, though she didn't dare look for fear of breaking this magic spell between them.

Except a few seconds later the spell had to be broken, because the baby kicked and shifted into Carol's rib cage and she had to stop what they were doing and catch her breath.

Panting, she pulled away and planted both palms flat on Daryl's chest.

Gasping for air at this point himself, Daryl pulled back. Searching her eyes frantically, he asked, "Did I do something wrong?"

Carol chuckled, sucked in a much-needed breath of air, and shook her head. "Not at all. You didn't do a thing wrong."

Confused, his brows pulled together, "Then why'd you stop? You didn't wanna do it anymore? I thought you wanted to... I mean, I thought you liked it. You kissed me first, you know?"

She chuckled again, a hand running up to his head and her fingers threading through his hair. "I did. And I wanted to. I just needed to breath. Sophia kicked me in my ribs."

"Oh," he blushed and dipped his head down, averting her eyes. Any bravado he'd felt while they were making out had obviously disappeared. Not meeting her gaze, he mumbled, "So…You uh, you liked that? Kissing me?"

She hummed, "Very much."

A proud grin erupted over his face. "Yeah? Me too."

 **Initially I had planned on the last chapter before this being filled with some more awkwardness and tie that in to sharing the bed, but then I remembered this story has been 26 chapters of a hell of a lot of awkwardness, and I chose to progress things forward a bit. I hope it came off okay and didn't seem too rushed. Much love to those of you reading and special shout out to those of you taking the time to review. And for those of you who love awkwardness, don't worry, there's still plenty of that to go around in this story.**


	29. Chapter 29

**Someone asked this in the last review, so I figured I'd address it here in case anyone else might be wondering. I'm from Georgia, and we do have a hunting convention of sorts that comes around in August. It's called Buckarama and comes to Atlanta and Perry. They have different wildlife exhibits and competitions, like the white tail buck one I used two chapters ago. They also sell hunting related merchandise. I'm not into hunting, so I've never actually been, but I have a few family members and friends who go almost every year.**

 **Anyways, back to the story now. I'm glad you guys are still enjoying this and I'm glad I got my second wind with it. Here's the next chapter.**

The way Daryl was grinning so proudly made Carol's heart melt. Knowing that she liked kissing him seemed to give him such confidence boost, and she couldn't help but hope that his little confidence boost might mean that he'd be comfortable with the two of them getting a little more "physical" in the future.

The part of her that hadn't had sex since she found out she was pregnant hoped he'd be okay with them getting a lot more "physical" in the future. Preferably before she ended up looking like a beached while.

But she wasn't going to push him or try and force things between them. She knew him well enough by now to know that he had to become comfortable on his own terms, in his own time. It's why she was so nervous around him after she started to realize she had feelings for him. She wasn't normally like that with men, she couldn't remember the last time someone had made her blush as much as Daryl had, but she'd just been desperately trying to hide what she felt and not scare him off that she'd ended up reverting to an awkward teenage state with him.

And that make out session that occurred only a few moments ago, that left her feeling like a teenager too.

A horny teenager.

She groaned inwardly, trying hard to keep her hormones in line. Which was hard as hell, because he was a, somewhat surprisingly, amazing kisser. She couldn't help that her mind kept wandering to what else he might be amazing at. Heat coursed through her body as images flooded through her mind.

They were still lying on their sides, face to face, with a small amount of space between them. Daryl's head was dipped low enough that he couldn't meet her eyes. She cleared her throat and he rooted his head up to where their eyes were level. "I uh, I need to pee. The baby is on my bladder."

"Oh, um, okay." He glanced to the bathroom door, then back over to Carol. "You uh, you coming right back?" There was an almost hopefulness in his tone, one that left her wondering if might be hoping to pick things up where they left off.

She shrugged a shoulder. Internally, she was beginning to panic. A huge conflict between what her body so badly wanted and what she what she wasn't sure was the right choice was raging in her mind. She'd jumped into bed with Ed and that had left her pregnant, alone, and terrified. She really liked Daryl, a lot. And he'd admitted that he liked her. She couldn't shake off what her uncle Hershel said to her before she left, about not wanting anyone to get hurt. "I think I might grab a shower while I'm in there. Cool off a bit. You gonna be okay by yourself for a few minutes?" She smiled teasingly, in an attempt to lighten the mood.

He grunted and gave her a small nod, "Be just fine," he muttered, though there was a look of uncertainty in his eyes. As if he was wondering if she was regretting what happened between them.

Carol chewed on her bottom lip, struggling with her own emotions, but knowing deep down that she couldn't do anything to cause him pain or leave him second guessing himself. And even if she wasn't sure if she should have sex with him just yet, she did know that she didn't want to go back to doing the awkward dance they'd been doing. She wanted things to progress, even if it did happen to move at a turtle's pace. She leaned forward and pressed another chaste kiss to his lips, pulling away before either of them could have a chance to deepen it. She gave him a small smile before rolling off the bed and told him, "I'll be right back, Daryl."

The corner of his lip twitched up. He watched her roll out of bed and stroll the few feet away towards the bathroom. She cast one last glance at him before disappearing behind the door. As the door clicked, Daryl rolled from his side onto his back, his hands went over his head and rested at the top of his pillow, and his eyes trained on the white ceiling above as he replayed the events of the past ten minutes over in his head.

()()()

Carol probably hadn't been in the shower for five whole minutes by now, but somehow, it felt like a fucking eternity as Daryl stared up at that ceiling waiting for her to get out. He wasn't sure what it was he was expecting to happen once she got out of the damn shower, if anything. He didn't exactly have a whole lot of experience with this kinda thing. With women. With making out in a motel room.

For a split second, he'd even been sure she'd decided she made some terrible mistake when she announced she was gonna go grab a shower. And that had made his heart sink, and it left him feeling like he'd been punched square in the damn gut, but then she'd kissed him again. Another soft, sweet, gentle kiss. One that was so simple, but somehow left so much to be desired.

He couldn't stop thinking about kissing her again. How her lips tasted on his. How her body would feel pressed against his. How good it would feel to let his hands wander over her body.

Rapidly, he blinked at the slide show coursing through his brain. He could feel his pants constricting and he groaned at the knowledge that they'd be sharing that bed tonight, only an inch or two separating them. He was already aching. Maybe he'd have to get a shower next. A cold one. A really, really, fucking cold one.

Then, another thought occurred to him. One that happened to take on Merle's voice, and said, "You've got a perfectly fucking good bed, you pussy. Why don't you make some use of it? She just shoved her tongue down your damn throat, that means she wants to go to pound town. Go on baby brother, put it to her real good."

Daryl growled, frustrated with himself. There's no way in hell he'd ever take advice from Merle. Even a version of Merle that was a figment of his imagination. He couldn't just assume Carol wanted to sleep with him. She kissed him, sure. But kissing someone didn't mean you wanted to have sex with them. Did it? Besides, how would he even work up the nerve to do that? He wasn't even sure how to initiate another kiss between them, though he found himself eager for that moment to present itself again. Should he just ask her? Should he just boldly make a move like he had after he broke their first kiss? Yeah, that one wasn't likely. He didn't even know where the hell he found the balls to do that in the first place.

Fuck! Why did he have to be like this? Why couldn't he be more like Merle when it came to women. Oh God! Where had that thought even come from? He wouldn't ever wanna be like Merle was with women, he just wanted to have an ounce of the fucking game his brother had so he didn't make himself look like a fool.

The bathroom door creaked open and Daryl's head jerked in that direction. Behind it, Carol emerged. Her auburn hair still a bit damp. She offered him a shy, half-grin as she approached the bed and slid in beside him. Daryl rolled over to face her, propping himself up on his elbows. "Good shower?"

"Mmhmm," she rolled over on her side and mirrored his position, resting her elbows on the bed with her cheek resting in her palm. Their eyes met and there was such unspoken expectation and hesitation in both sets of blue orbs. "So…" Carol began.

"So…" Daryl repeated, unsure of what to say or do. His hand was fidgeting with a loose fray on the side of his jeans. There was a blue clock on the wall, and all he could hear was the tick, tock, tick, tock, of that damn clock. It was driving him crazy, and even though he'd never been much for words, he felt like if the silence continued he might suffocate, so his mouth spewed the first thing that popped into his brain. "You, uh, you think we could do that again sometime?"

Carol pursed her lips, but a smile played at the corners of her mouth. He was flustered and she couldn't believe that he'd just asked her that. His gaze left hers the moment the words were out of his mouth and he was gnawing at his lip, like he couldn't believe he'd said them either and like he might want to take them back. "Kiss?" She asked him, just to clarify that's what he was talking about.

He nodded, peeking up to chance a glance at her expression.

"I think I'd like that."

His eyes perked up and there was that proud grin again. "You think we could maybe do it again now?"

"I think so."

Daryl had assumed she'd make the move after he expressed what he wanted to do, but she didn't. Instead, she was looking at him expectantly, like she was waiting for him to move in. So, he did. Slowly, inch by inch, he bridged the distance between them, stopping to gauge her expression with each tentative move he made. He hesitated as his lips came to a stop just before hers, he could feel her breath against his lips, hot and heavy.

"You gonna kiss me or not?" Carol whispered, her voice full of want and need.

That must have been the last bit of motivation he needed, because he nodded eagerly, closing that last gap between them and crashing his lips onto hers.

()()()

That wild intensity that had been raging during their first make out session, well, it was just as present this time, if not more so. And for the second time tonight, Carol had been left surprised at just how passionate kissing Daryl could be. Once he got started, there was nothing hesitant about the way his lips moved against hers, and she couldn't help but moan and whimper as their tongues chased each other in a fiery dance. And it was a hell of a turn on to her to hear him groan and whimper against her lips as well.

It was even more of a turn on when they scooted their bodies next to each other so they were pressed flush against one another, well as flush as they could be with her pregnant belly in the way, and she felt the tip of his erection pressing against her. Even though she was seven months pregnant and her belly was pressing into his chest, he still obviously found her attractive, and she found that realization thrilling.

Which may have over ridden her earlier worry that jumping into sex might not be a good idea, because before she realized what she was doing, she was grabbing his hand and bringing it to rest on her hip, hoping he'd get the idea that she wanted him to explore her body. And when he didn't get the exact memo of what she wanted, she may have guided his hand a bit, moving it up and down her thigh.

Just like with the kissing, it didn't take much instruction or encouragement to get Daryl going either. It was like he just needed a push in right direction. That little bit of encouragement or reassurance that let him know it was okay.

Carefully, his hand snaked its way under her shirt, his fingertips grazing her bare flesh and causing goosebumps to erupt as his hand traveled upwards towards her breast. Her own hand found its way to his shirt and she began working the buttons, one by one, in a frantic manner. She gasped as Daryl's hand slipped under her sports bra, which she'd found was far more comfortable to wear these days, and began kneading her bare breast.

" _Fuck_ ,"he muttered breathlessly, tearing his lips away from hers and finding a spot on her neck to explore and suckle. He bucked his hips into her, his erection straining painfully in his tight jeans.

His touch felt so damn good. His mouth felt so damn good. His body grinding desperately against hers felt so damn good. She should tell herself to stop. She should remind herself of why she'd been convinced that jumping into bed with him wasn't a good idea not even thirty-minutes prior. She shouldn't be ripping the last button off his shirt right now and roaming her hands wildly over his chest.

But she was.

And she didn't think she had the will power to stop it.

Not now.

Maybe she hadn't all along. Maybe that's why when she was in the shower she'd shaved her legs for the first time in two weeks. Maybe that's why she shaved her nether regions for the first time in months, the best she could anyway, because she knew this was inevitable. Being as how they'd be sleeping next to each other, and she hadn't wanted to be embarrassed when it finally did happen.

"Daryl…" she hummed, in a sigh of pure contented pleasure, as he nibbled her neck and continued to knead her breast roughly in his hand. She could feel his grin against her skin as he continued to work his magic on her sweet spot. Her hand dipped from his chest down to the button of his jeans. He responded with something somewhere between a grunt and a moan as the sound of his zipper being pulled down filled the room. As if it had been begging for release, he popped straight out his boxers and she immediately took him in her hand, stroking back and forth. She felt his body shudder and this time she grinned, turning so his lips would break away from the spot they were working on her neck. She dipped her head and captured his lips with hers in a hungry kiss.

"Carol...Carol…" He repeated weakly between kisses as she continued to stroke him. He was trying to get her to stop, trying to tell her if she didn't this was going to be over soon. Too soon. But he was so lost in his own pleasure he was having trouble forming coherent words, at the moment. "Mhm…Please," he squeaked. "You gotta…" but before he could finish what he was about to say, it was too late, he gave her breast one more firm squeeze as felt him let himself go over the edge completely, cuming in her hand. And almost instantaneously, he felt the hand he'd been kneading her breast with fill with warm liquid. "Fuck," he muttered, rolling away from her.

Carol was mortified. Not because Daryl had finished while he was in her hand and before she could get hers, but because right after he came her body had decided it would be the perfect time for her nipples to start leaking, right into his bare hand. She wiped her soiled hand on her pajama bottoms and rolled over, unable to face him, even though she was sure he wouldn't wanna look at her after that anyway.

Daryl brushed the warm liquid that was covering his hand onto his jeans. He sighed in frustration, humiliated that he'd came that fast, right in her hand like that. He hadn't even gotten to touch her. He was sure she was going to laugh at him. Maybe even be angry with him.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled from her side of the bed, her voice shaky.

Daryl was confused. Why would she be sorry? He's the one that came in under two minutes with a hand job. He forced himself to look over at her, and she'd pulled the comforter over her head. Carefully, he reached over and pulled it back. "Why? Ain't nothing to be sorry about. Was my fault," he muttered, shamefully. "Didn't mean to…Just…I…" his clean hand swept over his face. "Ain't really got much experience and I just…I haven't in a while…I didn't mean to..."

Slowly, she turned to face him, her brows pulled together. "Wait? You're upset about…about…" she blushed. "Because you finished first."

He nodded, as if there was nothing else to be upset about.

"But…I…I mean, you didn't…When you were playing with my breasts, didn't you notice that they…"

"Oh…Yeah." This time he blushed. He had noticed, but it hadn't particularly bothered him. Hell, he gutted animals regularly. He'd held intestines in his bare hands. Besides, he'd just nutted all over her hand. Turnabout was fair play, right? She wasn't grossed out about that, why should be he grossed out. "That happens though, right? With pregnant chicks?"

"How do you know that?" Her confusion only deepened.

"Rick," he told her simply, she still looked confused so he rubbed the back of his neck and elaborated. "He was ah, fooling around with Lori one night a few weeks ago, and ah, he kinda got some in his mouth."

"Are you serious right now?" Daryl nodded and Carol couldn't help it, she busted out laughing. She laughed so hard it made her abdomen ache and caused Sophia to jump.

"You're laughing at Rick, not me, right?" He clarified, feeling a bit defensive, but she nodded through her laughing fit and Daryl couldn't help it, he laughed too. Not the deep rumbling laugh Carol was emitting, but a small, low chuckle.

"I'm sorry, it's not funny." She chuckled a few more times. "I'm just so glad that didn't happen to us and I'm so glad someone else I know has been through it too."

"It's a little funny," he admitted. When she was done laughing, he looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "You ain't…You ain't upset that I…"

She shook her head and cupped his chin with her hand. "No. In fact, it's kind of a compliment. Knowing I turned you on that much. See, I don't exactly feel very sexy these days, so knowing that you were that into me…I don't t know…I guess it makes me feel good about myself."

He smirked, then flitted his eyes down. It left him feeling upset to know she didn't find herself attractive right now. He thought she was damn beautiful. "You are…you know?"

"Thank you," she whispered.

He hummed and flicked his eyes back up to hers. "Hey, you uh, you want me to?" He trailed off, his eyes wandering from her own down to her pajama bottoms. He motioned his head in that direction.

She swallowed, wondering if she fully understood what he was suggesting. "You wanna do that?"

Gnawing on his thumb, he nodded shyly. "I wanna...I wanna try."

 **Okay, I know I've been writing Daryl as very shy and awkward, and I hope this doesn't seem too much of a stretch or a leap for him. But sometimes, even the most awkward people are more willing to do certain things when they're extremely turned on or lost in the moment.**


	30. Chapter 30

Merle had once told Daryl that a sure-fire way to drive a woman wild was to go down on her. His older brother had said that if you knew what you were doing down there, and did it real good, so good that the woman was flopping around like a fish out of water, that they'd be like putty in your hands after. You could talk them into almost anything. Then, Merle had proceeded to give Daryl very in depth pointers about the best way to go about doing that. He'd even made a series of little comic drawings to drive home the point and make sure Daryl got the message, so that when the time came his little brother would be fully prepared on how to please a woman. Even if he ended up being a "Quick Draw McGraw."

At the time, Daryl had only been thirteen. Merle was eighteen and just about to leave to do a stint in the Army. He'd felt sure Daryl would pop his cherry while he was gone, and didn't want to leave him ill prepared. As shy and awkward as Daryl had been back then, and still was, Merle had been convinced puberty and the onset of sexual desire would drive Daryl out of that shell and send him sniffing up any skirt that walked by. Merle himself had lost his virginity two days after his thirteenth birthday. There was an almost sixteen-year old girl that lived in the trailer right behind him. She'd lured Merle over with the promise of sharing a blunt with him, then pretty much jumped his bones inside her step-daddy's '66 Ford. And Merle had been certain a similar experience would be awaiting Daryl.

Merle hadn't counted on the fact that being a horny teenager wasn't enough incentive for Daryl to be able to muster the courage to hold a conversation with a more than willing older girl, let alone for him to be able to hold eye contact with a member of the opposite sex long enough for anything like that to happen to him.

Still, to this day, Daryl could recall the memory of Merle passing on his sexcapade wisdom in vivid detail. Not so much because he'd retained it eagerly and put it to use as much as he could, but more so because it was one of the most awkward conversations he'd ever have his with his brother. Especially the part when Merle tried to show him demonstrations for full effect by pulling out a Barbie doll that their mom's current boyfriend's little kid had left at their house. At that point, Daryl had hit his brother in the nuts, called him a sick, perverted fuck, then bolted out of the house and into the woods behind the trailer park.

He'd never expected to be grateful for his brother's advice. But that night, he been. He'd been _very_ , _very_ grateful. In fact, if his brother was in walking distance of him, he probably would have found the bastard and hugged him after.

He'd been so damn embarrassed for cumming in her hand after what felt like less than two minutes of fooling around. It made him feel like a complete fucking loser. He'd been sure she'd never wanna look at him after that, let alone let him kiss her again. But she hadn't thought he was a loser at all, she'd said it made her feel flattered he was that turned on by her. And though he was glad he'd inadvertently made her feel good about herself and that she wasn't upset with him or disgusted by his lack of self-control over his own body and limited experience, he still couldn't shake the feeling of inadequacy it gave him.

He wanted to make her feel good, make her body feel good, and he wanted her to know he could. _He_ wanted to know _he_ could.

So, he'd pulled that terribly awkward memory from his mind and finally put it to use. And Daryl had to reluctantly admit to himself, as much of a dumbass as Merle was, he evidently knew what he was doing with women. In the bedroom, at least. Because Daryl did everything he remembered his brother telling him to do back then, even adding his own little things here and there was he felt the urge to do so while he paid attention to how she was responding to certain techniques, and damn if she wasn't going crazy for it. Bucking her hips, squirming and wiggling under him, tugging the sheets, whimpering and moaning his name as she tugged at his scalp until she was weakly pushing his head away.

Still, even with all those encouraging signs, he'd had to bashfully ask her, once he was done and moving himself up in bed where he was right next to her again, "That good for you?"

Carol laughed, not an amused laugh like he'd said or done something funny, but one like she couldn't believe he'd even ask such a question because the answer was so obvious. Breathlessly, her body still trembling, her hand reached out and snaked across his cheek. "It was _very_ , _very_ good for me."

She was smiling at him, like she was grateful for what he'd just done, and before he realized it, he was sporting another one of those proud, goofy grins.

His flesh erupted in goosebumps as her hand trailed down his cheek, to his neck, then down his exposed chest from where his shirt was still open where she pulled all the buttons loose earlier. His groin throbbed, he was already hard again from what he'd just done to her, and he was hoping that she still wanted to have sex. Or at least the thought that's what she'd been wanting earlier. He knew he wanted it. And he was confident that maybe he could last this time, since he'd already busted one off.

But then she yawned loudly, moved her hand from his chest to stretch her arms, then reached down and pulled her pajama bottoms back on. Rolling from her back to her side, she reached out and ran her fingertips along his firm bicep. For a brief-moment, he tensed, despite all they'd done tonight, but he quickly relaxed into her touch. Her blue eyes met his, they were shining with satisfaction and something else he couldn't quite read. Her chest was still rising and falling fast, as if she was still trying to recover. Her eyes fluttered closed, but her lips twitched into a grin as her fingertips continued to lazily trace up and down his bicep in a rhythmic motion.

They laid there in silence together for the next few minutes. Carol, facing him on her side with her eyes closed, her body fully relaxed as she laid there looking so peaceful and beautiful. Daryl watched her until her breathing evened out and became slow and steady. Until the movement of her fingertips tracing his bicep became slower and slower and her hand simply rested on his arm, unmoving. She was fast asleep beside him, out like a light.

He smirked at her, images of everything that happened tonight replaying in his mind like a slide show he was sure he could watch on repeat, and he felt such a strange sense of peace as he laid there next to her. And soon, his own eyes flitted closed, his own breathing growing deep and rhythmic, and he was out like a light, too.

()()()

Daryl was groggy as he felt himself start to drift into consciousness the next morning. The first thing he was aware of was that he was warm. A hell of a lot warmer than he normally was when he woke up. The second thing he noticed was that a body was pressed firmly against his, a hand draped over his side, legs intertwined with his own. Momentarily, the feeling of someone being so close to him, so up in his personal space, it freaked him the fuck out and he almost lunged out of the bed to escape the contact. But almost immediately, he recalled all the events that happened probably not even eight hours before. He realized who was tangled up with him.

And that realization had an unexpected effect on him. Warmth filled his chest as he relaxed into her embrace and shifted in bed, his eyes still closed. The feeling of her body pressed against his like this left him feeling something he'd rarely felt in his life. Safe and comfortable.

He'd decided that maybe he wasn't quite ready to get out of bed just yet. Maybe he wasn't quite ready for this strange new feeling to go away. Because he wasn't even sure Carol had purposefully ended up curled into him like this. From what he remembered, they'd fallen asleep face to face. She might wake up and pull away from him instantly.

Daryl found that in her sleep she'd pushed him against the very edge of the tiny ass bed and if he rolled in his sleep he might end up falling off the damn thing, so he arched his back slightly, in an attempt to give himself more room. When he did, his lower back pushed against her belly where she'd wedged herself against him in their sleep. Three strong jabs against his lower back startled the hell out of him, causing him to roll off the bed and onto the floor with a loud thud and he cried out, "What the fuck!"

Daryl's loud crash on the floor and curse startled Carol awake and she bolted upright in bed. Panicked, her eyes darted around the room and she found Daryl on the floor. She blinked several times to adjust her eyes to the light filling the room from behind the curtains. Her voice was husky with sleep and her brows scrunched in confusion, she asked him, "What the hell are you doing on the floor? And what the hell was that?" Her hand fell over her stomach as she felt her baby girl summer saluting around inside of her.

Daryl groaned and pushed himself up of the floor, dusting his hands off as he stood. "Woke up and you were squished all against me. I was on the edge of the damn bed."

Her voice softened and she looked troubled "I pushed you off the bed?"

He shook his head, then blushed. "Nah. I was, I was gonna go back to sleep. Wasn't ready to get up yet," He rubbed the back of his neck, anxiously. He didn't know why, but he was worried she wouldn't be okay with him staying cuddled up to her like that. He wasn't sure if she'd wanted that. He couldn't figure out why he felt so awkward about it after what they'd done last night. Maybe it was because normal people did sexual stuff like that all the time, but cuddling with someone seemed much more intimate. "I was trying to give myself a little more room, then something felt like it kicked me in the back and I jumped away from it and fell off the damn bed."

Carol smiled and rubber her belly. She shot Daryl a scolding look, but it was more playful than reprimanding. "You must have woken Sophia up when you moved. That's her way of telling you she isn't happy about it," she teased.

Daryl looked confused. "She kicked me?"

She nodded and moved her hand, where Sophia was actively wiggling around beneath her palm. "She's usually pretty active in the mornings. When she first started moving around a lot like that I'd feel it and wake up. I'm used to it by now." Carol scooted over and nodded at the empty space on the bed, signaling for Daryl to crawl back in beside her, and he did.

He watched as she dropped her hand from her stomach, the large t-shirt was covering her belly, but he was sure he could see little lumps popping up in different spots now and then. "You ever seen that movie, Alien?" He asked, continuing to watch the unborn child move around and watching for telltale signs of where she was. Carol nodded and he caught it out of the corner of his eye and continued his thought, "Looks like she's gonna pop right out of there any second." He made a popping sound with his tongue and made an exploding gesture with his hands.

Carol reached over and pinched his ribs. "You're so mean," she tried to act offended, but couldn't stop the chuckled that escaped her throat.

Daryl winced, rubbed his side, then grinned at her. Suddenly, his face grew serious as he began watching again. He chewed at his bottom lip. "Does it feel like you said it did?"

"Huh?"

"That night I first asked you what it felt like when she moved. Back when we first found the quarry. You said it feels like butterflies. Does it still feel like that?" His voice dropped just above a whisper. "Like you make me feel?"

Her breath caught in her chest at his words. He'd shyly admitted he liked her in his own way last night, but he was outright telling her that she gave him butterflies this morning. She remembered being slightly worried right before she fell asleep, that Daryl might wake up and freak out about what they did last night. She remembered thinking things might be really, awkward this morning and that neither would know how to move past it but, so far, they were just being them.

She smiled at him and shook her head. "No, her moving doesn't quite feel like that anymore. Not like you make me feel," she added. And her heart fluttered at the full on toothy, smile that elicited from him. "Sometimes," she continued, "it hurts. Like when she dug into my ribs last night when we were kissing." A faint blush crept across Daryl's cheeks and Carol bit back a grin.

"Looks weird as fuck," he mumbled, not taking his eyes away.

"It feels weird as fuck," she chuckled. She looked over and saw he was gnawing at his bottom lip, like she knew he did when he was lost in thought or worried about something. She thought she knew what he was thinking, but she wasn't sure. She almost didn't suggest it, but then she figured that after last night she didn't have to be quite as careful with him as she once had. He'd eaten her out for fuck's sake, and he'd cum in her hand. Maybe they hadn't seen each other fully naked yet, but things were forever changed between them, and she knew it. "You can feel it for yourself…If you want." She was sure to add that last part so she didn't make him feel like she expected him to. Or that he had to.

Without moving his head, he looked at her. Almost seeming uncertain. Finally, he gave her a small nod. He carefully placed his hand over her shirt, right in the center of her belly. "Don't feel nothing."

Carol took his hand, moved it down and to the left, right where she could feel her daughter was. She pressed down so that Daryl's hand was putting a small amount of pressure on her stomach. She smiled when she felt her daughter react to the touch. She peeked over to watch Daryl's expression. His throat bobbed up and down, but he didn't say anything. Of his own volition, Daryl moved his hand out from under hers and pressed down on her belly in another spot. The baby, once again, reacted to touch.

Daryl held his hand there for a long moment, not saying a word. Finally, he pulled away and cleared his throat. "You're right, it feels weird as fuck."

 **(I'm really fixated on writing their weekend away together right now. I'd say expect another chapter or two of it. But I am eager to get to the two of them going back home. Thanks for reading.)**


	31. Chapter 31

Daryl was in the shower and Carol was sitting on the edge of the motel bed, applying a few touches of make-up. Her compact in hand, she stared at the reflection of herself looking back at her. She couldn't help but notice how the corner of her lip twitched up and how her baby, blue eyes were shining, brighter than she remembered them shining in a long time.

She exhaled, releasing a sigh of pure contentment as her breath left her chest. That slight twitch of her lips turned into a school-girl grin and she tossed her compact and make-up brush to the side where they thudded near the pillows at the head of the bed. She shook her head and fell backwards, her hands sweeping over her face to stifle any more giggles from escaping her lips. She didn't want Daryl to hear her and assume she was some mad woman.

She wasn't.

Not at all.

And she wasn't the kinda girl who bursts into fits of laughter when she's by herself.

It's just, she couldn't help it. Not right now. Not after last night.

Last night she'd rested so peacefully, she'd felt so at ease as her eyes flitted closed and she passed out right next to him. The sound of his still ragged breathing lulled her to sleep as she gently stroked his arm, her body and mind completely spent.

And now? This morning?

Well…

Now she felt so relaxed, so content, so satisfied.

So, _so_ damn satisfied.

As shy and uncertain as he'd seemed about his abilities when he asked her if she wanted him to do that for her, she hadn't exactly been expecting him to be…well…to be so damn good at it. Though, thinking back, she shouldn't have doubted him, even if he doubted himself. Because the man was a hell of a kisser. The things he could do with his tongue…

Sure, he stumbled a bit at first, fumbled here and there, and almost seemed a bit hesitant. As if he was trying to think everything, every move through. But he got a rhythm going, and once he did, good Lord! It was amazing.

To be fair, she hadn't had a man get her off in over five months, so he could have been downright awful at it and she still would have probably cum. Her body was feigning for sexual release at this point, especially after how horny she'd been most of the pregnancy. Add in how attractive he was and how much she liked him, and he probably wouldn't have had to put forth much effort to get her there.

But the man had put forth effort. A hell of a lot of effort. And he'd seemed so? Well…so into it. The entire time. She swore she could feel his lips curl into a grin with each whimper she let out, and she knew damn well she could hear his groans and growls of pleasure as her hands alternated between twisting in his hair and the sheets. And she found that unbelievably sexy to know that turning her on turned him on. To know that it was important to him that she got off.

How she felt right now, it wasn't just about that, though. Getting off. Sure, it was nice. And while it was beyond great to finally get that release, that touch, she'd so desperately been craving the past several months, she knew that this feeling ran far deeper than being sexually satisfied. Maybe that was part of it, but it wasn't all of it. Not even half of it.

He liked her. _Daryl._ He liked her. Even though she was lugging around 30 extra pounds and another human-being inside of her that would make her grand entrance into the world in a couple of months, Daryl didn't seem bothered by it in the least. He didn't seem to see her daughter or her pregnancy as problem, like the child's own father had. And beyond that, he was attracted to her. He still desired her. Still thought she was pretty, even though most days she didn't see herself that way right now. And perhaps most importantly, he'd let her in. He'd torn down his walls and let her in. Really let her in, let himself be vulnerable and honest with her, something she'd worried he couldn't do.

But he had.

She wasn't sure what last night meant quite yet, they hadn't talked about it, but she had a good feeling about it after how things went this morning. After he hadn't tried to shut down or get as far away from her as he could, after he willingly placed his hand on her belly and felt her child move, after the unreadable expression that etched on his face as he felt those movements, she felt good about where this was going. It really seemed like she was getting there with him, wherever and whatever there may be.

She was still laying sprawled out on the bed, a goofy grin on her face, when the bathroom door creaked open and Daryl emerged. His hair was still slick and he was barefoot, dawning a pair of tattered jeans and a shirt he'd only managed to button-up half-way so far. He titled his head and arched his brows at her. "What are you smiling at?"

Carol rolled on her side, propping up on her elbow and resting her cheek in her palm. She shook her head at him, still grinning. "Nothing really. Last night was just a good night. A _really_ good night." She made sure to emphasize, as her eyes came to a rest at the light spray of chest hair that was showing through his half-opened shirt, she bit down on her lower lip and said, "Maybe tonight will be too."

Daryl's cheeks burned, and they weren't the only thing burning as a fire ignited low in his gut. His lips twitched into a lopsided grin and his gaze swept away from where Carol was lying on the bed and down to the motel floor. He dug the heel of his bare foot into the carpet. Shyly, he looked up. His eyes were darker than normal and his voice was husky when he finally replied with, "Yeah?" She nodded, as if to reiterate her statement, and Daryl felt a smidgen of pride and excitement at the thought of her being so satisfied she wanted a repeat performance. With a sense of bravado that he hadn't known he possessed, he cleared his throat and added, "Yeah, maybe it will be," That confident grin working its way on his face once again.

()()()

Carol shot Daryl a disgusted look and said, "Did you seriously just buy a can of deer piss to spray yourself down with?" They were walking side by side away from one of the many stands selling hunting merchandise.

Daryl grunted at her. "It's called buck lure. And yep. I sure did. Gonna come in handy and help me bag the biggest buck I can find so I can win that bet against Merle."

Her nose squished up and she shook her head at him, but she was sporting a teasing grin at him. "Just don't expect me to kiss you while you're covered in deer piss."

He stopped walking, causing her to pause her steps as well and come to a stop right beside him, as hordes of people shuffled about past them.

She was talking about kissing him. And not just later tonight, she was talking about kissing him in a few weeks when hunting season was in. Well, okay, technically she was talking about not kissing him while he was covered in deer piss, but that meant she wanted to kiss him in a few weeks when he wasn't covered in deer piss. Didn't it?

The corner of his lip trembled as he tried to fight another grin from forming. He couldn't remember the last time he'd smiled so fucking much and he was starting to feel corny as hell, but in the end, he couldn't fight it. Not when Carol smiled back at him like she was doing, all bright eyed and beautiful.

She extended her hand out towards his and flexed her fingers, signaling she wanted to hold hands again, like they had the day before.

He hummed and linked the fingers of his free hand, the one not holding the plastic bag, with hers.

Their hands swayed back and forth as they began walking again, and every now and then Carol would peek at him out of the corner of her eye, and each time she'd smile to herself when she caught him doing the same. His eyes doing that same proud dance they'd done the night before.


	32. Chapter 32

**(Just a short little chapter for tonight. I'd have more since I usually don't work on Monday, but I am going in for a co-worked tomorrow and I need to get some sleep. Also, there may be a few more chapters before they get home now. I can't seem to write a lot at one time these days. Hope you guys are still enjoying this cheesy little fic.)**

Daryl was sitting across from Carol in the dining area of the convention center. They'd stopped to grab a bite to eat about fifteen minutes ago, and he'd already quickly devoured the Philly Cheesesteak and curly fries he'd ordered for himself. Carol was still eating her meal, popping another one of her curly fries into her mouth after she dipped it into whatever the hell that orange sauce was they'd handed him when he picked up their order. She was chewing slowly, nothing like the way she'd inhaled that pizza the evening before.

His knees bounced underneath the table and he fidgeted with his almost empty Styrofoam cup in front of him, passing it back and forth between his hands. His eyes flicked around the large room, taking in the sight of all the random people shuffling about to the different food vendors, then they drifted table to table, landing on random groups of people eating their own meals for the evening. Finally, they wandered back to Carol. She was staring at him curiously, her hand frozen in mid-air, another curly fry lodged between her index finger and thumb. "What?" He grunted, noticing the odd way she was staring at him.

She shook head. "Nothing. You're just being awfully fidgety." She popped the curly fry in her mouth and kept her gaze on him.

"No, I ain't." He scoffed, pulling his hands away from where they'd been passing his cup back and forth on the table and clasping them together in front of himself. His thumbs moved in swift circles around each other as he spoke.

Carol let out an amused chuckle. "Yes, you are." She pointed to his hands, then under the table, where his knees were still rapidly bucking up and down. "What's got you so keyed up?"

"Nothing," he mumbled. "Just thinking, I reckon."

She'd been reaching for another fry when he said that, and his words caught her attention enough that she drew her hand back and rested it in her lap. "Oh? About what?" She was sure to keep her features schooled and her voice cool, but she couldn't help but wonder if he was going to address the elephant in the room. The fact that they hadn't exactly talked about what was said and what happened last night, and what it meant going forward for them. Even though they'd walked around most of the day hand in hand, like a couple would.

He was practically squirming in his seat when he said, "I was uh, just thinking maybe we could head back to the motel after you get done eating."

Her brows furrowed suspiciously. "That's it? That's why you're acting so nervous. You just wanna go back to the motel?"

He nodded, his thumb working its way to the corner of his lip and his teeth gnawing at his cuticle. "If you wanna."

She wondered if he thought she was too tired to keep walking around. If he thought she had overdone it. After all, it was about the time they'd left yesterday evening when she'd been so exhausted. "We don't have to," she told him. "I'm not as tired as I was yesterday." And she wasn't, though her feet were swelling a bit and there was a sting in her lower back, she wasn't near as give out as she had been the evening before. If anything, last night and this morning had left her feeling as though she had a renewed burst of energy. A spring in her step so to speak. "We can stay. I want you to enjoy yourself."

He was quiet a moment, as if he was thinking about her answer, and as if it wasn't the one he'd wanted to hear. "Ain't much else to do here. Still got tomorrow to check stuff out too."

Now Carol was the one squirming in her seat, unable to hide the worry in her voice. "Are you not having fun? Are you upset because I keep stopping to pee every thirty minutes? Am I ruining your trip?" Sophia must have thought Carol's bladder was a squeeze toy today, because at least twice an hour Carol was stopping and running to a restroom.

Rapidly, he shook his head. "Nah, ain't that. Nothing like it. Hell, it's not like you can help when you gotta take a piss." He was having a damn good trip. It was probably the best fucking trip he'd ever had to this place. Maybe the best damn trip he'd ever had in his life. He motioned to the bags on the floor beside him. The one that had his buck lure, one that contained a new scope for his favorite rifle, another that had new strings and bolts for his crossbow in it. "I'm having a good time. Got plenty of good shit today."

She titled her head at him, still feeling a bit uneasy and worried. "Well, why do you wanna leave then?"

He shrugged a shoulder, now gnawing directly on his thumbnail and not just the cuticle. There was a certain boyish, almost innocent quality, to the look he was giving her. The way he wouldn't quite meet her eyes or vocalize what he was thinking.

The tension drained from Carol's body as she reached a conclusion about why he might be so anxious to get back to the motel, she had to stop herself from emitting a sigh of relief and she smiled tenderly. "I think going back to the motel sounds just fine."

His ears and eyes perked up. "Yeah?" He muttered, his voice coming out low and a little hoarse.

"Yeah," she repeated, her blue eyes dancing as she shot him a suggestive smirk. "I think we could have just a good a time there. Who knows? Maybe even better."

Daryl tinged pink from the base of his neck all the way to the tips of his ears, but that didn't stop the extremely uncharacteristic, for him anyway, lecherous grin that swept his face at her words.

()()()

The ride back to the motel was quiet and Daryl kept sneaking glances from the busy Atlanta streets over to Carol as he drove. His heart was thudding powerfully on his chest, heat pooling low in his gut as he thought about getting back to the motel. Getting her back to the motel.

He'd been thinking about it a lot throughout the day. About what happened between them last night. About whether or not it would happen again. He hadn't been quite sure how to bring it up. He'd never been the kinda guy that had any game. Not a fucking bit.

He wasn't like Merle with women. Nothing like his older brother.

It wasn't that he didn't have sexual desire like most people. He did. He knew when women were attractive. He felt things. Things down there, anyway. But his aversion to contact with other human-beings had over ridden most of his sexual desire he had towards the women he met.

But it was different with Carol. He wanted her to touch him. And he wanted to touch her.

Maybe it was because he liked her so damn much. Maybe it was because she made him feel different than anyone ever had. And not just that tight chest, can't breathe, butterflies in your gut feeling. It was also that safe, warm, content feeling she gave him. Maybe that's why he didn't feel those normal hang-ups with her that he would with anyone else.

Whatever the fuck it was, he couldn't get it out of his mind all damn day. He just wasn't sure how to tell her or how to know if she'd been thinking about it too.

Even now, with the suggestive lilt to her voice and the lascivious look in her eyes before they left the convention center, he wasn't sure how to get things going now that they were back at the motel together.

What if he'd been wrong in reading her? What if she didn't wanna do anything else with him? He didn't wanna seem like an asshole or like he expected her to. Just because they had done things last night, it didn't mean she had to again. Besides, that just kinda happened, it wasn't planned. And she was pregnant, Lori was never in the mood for sex with Rick, maybe Carol wouldn't be in the mood to fool around with him either. Liking someone didn't mean you had to have sex with them. She didn't have an obligation to fool around with him.

Daryl tossed Carol's car keys and his purchases from the day on the small table as they walked into the small motel room. He watched as Carol flipped the top lock on the door of their motel room. She turned on the television set and wordlessly took a seat on the edge of the motel bed. She patted the spot beside her, indicating she wanted him to take a seat next to her, so he did. She smiled softly at him as he placed his hands, palms flat, on the bed.

He licked his lips, trying hard to decide on what the hell he should do. His eyes landed on her soft lips, and he remembered how good it felt kissing them last night. His top teeth raked over his cracked bottom lip and he could feel his palms beginning to sweat on top of the plush comforter.

"Well, we're back at the motel," Carol commented, her eyes locking onto his as she turned towards him.

"Mhmhm," Daryl nodded, swallowing hard. He tried to force his own voice to come out even and steady. Hoping to display at least a smidgen of confidence.

Carol seemed a bit nervous now herself, as she asked him, "Anything in particular you wanna do now that we're here?"

"I uh, we could…" One of his sweaty hands swept across the back of his neck and his eyes flitted back to her lips. "I mean, if you wanted, we could uh, kiss some more."

Carol's hand reached out and caressed his prickly cheek. "I like the way you think." Leaning in, she closed the distance between them and captured his lips with hers.


	33. Chapter 33

Carol wasn't entirely surprised to find that, just as last night, Daryl wasn't nearly as reserved as he normally might be once they started making out. Her eager whimpers and moans as their tongues danced together seemed to be every bit of encouragement the man needed to jump from zero to one hundred in a matter of seconds. And she loved the animal-like growls that escaped the back of his throat as she slowly scooted her body closer to his, causing a slight friction between their lower halves. Even with the amount of space her distended belly left between them, she could still feel the tip of his erection pressing into her thigh.

The entire experience was heady, and she craved more of him, more than she'd had last night. She was contemplating whether or not she should make a move to initiate taking things further, as she had last night, and it was just as she was trying to decipher her next move when Daryl took her completely by surprise, his hand working its way under her shirt of his own accord, without any encouragement on her part for him to do so. She gasped involuntarily as his rough hand, ever so gently, kneaded against her swollen breast.

Daryl tore his lips from hers and he snatched his hands out from under her shirt and dropped them at his side at the shocked sound she'd made. A perplexed, worried look washed over him. His breathing was ragged and his voice husky as he looked her in the eyes and asked, "Did I hurt you?"

She shook her head and pressed her forehead against his, smiling softly, her own chest heaving as she tried to stabilize her own breathing. "No. Not at all."

His brows furrowed. "Do something wrong then? Last night you seemed like you liked it when I was…" he trailed off, like he was embarrassed to say "playing with your boobs."

"I did. I do," she smiled again and gently kissed his lips, still desperately trying to catch her breath. She had been too lost in the moment to understand how much she desperately needed oxygen. "It just surprised me, that's all."

"A good surprise, though, right?"

Carol nodded and dipped her head down, nipping at his lower lip. She hummed as she pulled away and mumbled, "Yes. Good. Very good."

The corner of his lip turned up. "Good," he muttered, turning his attention to her jaw line and beginning to leave a trail of kisses all the way down to her neck. His hands started roaming again, finding their way under her shirt once again.

And after a few moments of eager exploration and more heated kisses, Carol was even more stunned when Daryl began tugging at the hem of her shirt. But she didn't let out a startled gasp this time, she didn't hesitate or pull away or let her surprise show in any way. She didn't want to freeze him up. To have him question himself and assume he'd done something wrong. Because she damn sure didn't want things to stop or get put on hold. So, she simply arched her body, let out a satisfied groan, and eased her way up off the bed so he'd have better access to pull her shirt off. Not daring to let their lips off for fear that the spell might be broken if she did.

But it didn't. Daryl kept kissing her, the whole time he was peeling her shirt off. All the way up until he blindly flung it across the room. It was only then that he stopped what he was doing and tore his mouth away from hers. Both of them were sitting up on the bed at this point, and he was staring at her body, mouth gaping slightly.

And all of a sudden Carol felt mortified and extremely self-conscious. Assuming the pause in his actions and the way he his eyes hung on her exposed body must be due to the fact that he wasn't pleased with what he saw.

She hadn't considered what she looked like now when he'd started pulling her clothes off. She hadn't taken into account that she hadn't been completely naked in front of a man since she found out she was pregnant. She swallowed hard as she glanced down at her own body. Her round belly was covered in pale pink stretch marks. Her once flat stomach poked out farther than her breasts. The hideous, plain, white maternity bra she had on wasn't sexy compared to the lacy black one she'd probably be wearing normally. And underneath that plain bra, her breasts also bore pale pink stretch marks that would likely only further disappoint and disgust him.

Her bottom teeth raked over her lower lip and she reflexively covered herself. One hand sweeping across her breasts and the other low around her waist. She looked down, Daryl's gaze feeling too heavy for her to handle, at the moment.

"What's wrong," his voice just as full of concern, if not more so than it had been before.

She shook her head and swallowed again, her voice catching in her throat. "I know this probably isn't what you expected," she managed to get out. An unexpected touch of his hand cupping her chin made her remove her eyes from where they were trained on the bed sheets and level with his.

Tenderly, hesitantly, his thumb stroked her chin. He looked so troubled and confused. "Sure as hell didn't expect to make you cry."

"I'm not crying."

"Sure as hell looks like you're about to be." He dropped his hand from where it rested under her chin. "I didn't mean to move so fast. Hell, that ain't even me. Not really. Ain't normally like this. We don't have to do nothing. I mean, I wanted to," he nodded down to the slight bulge that still existed in the crotch of his jeans. "But we ain't gotta do anything you don't wanna do." He seemed a bit disappointed that things came to a halt between them. Even more, he seemed upset that she was so upset. But he didn't seem disgusted or put off at all.

Carol watched as he moved like he was about to get off the bed. She stopped holding herself and reached out and clasped a hand around his forearm to stop him, "Where are you going?"

He motioned to a spot on the floor near the TV where her dis-guarded shirt had landed. "Figured you'd wanna cover back up." This time he didn't let his eyes wander over her body as he'd done before, though he seemed to be fighting with himself not to sneak a peek.

"You're not…I mean….you don't mind how I look?"

"What?" He sounded genuinely shocked she'd think he'd have a problem with any part of how she looked.

"I just," she shook her head, frustrated with herself and her insecurity, "My body looks different than it did at one time, probably different than any woman you might have been with before me," she waved her hand up and down in front of her. "I just thought you were disappointed with what you saw. You were staring at me…"

His cheeks tinged pink and he shyly told her, "Was staring because I liked what I saw."

"You don't have to say that. It's okay if you weren't expecting to see stretch marks."

Daryl sighed, an almost growl-like sigh, and for a moment she feared she was frustrating him. "You're pregnant, Carol." He said it as if she must have not realized that she was. "You're growing a little girl in there." He pointed at her belly. "I know pregnant women get stretch marks. Had to listen to Lori cry for four days when she first found hers. Then I had to listen to her yell at Rick and call him a liar when he kept trying to tell her he still thought she was beautiful and that it was something to be proud of because it meant their little boy was getting bigger." He shook his head, his voice dropping barely above a whisper. "I don't care that you got stretch marks. It don't bother me none…Think you're beautiful. Didn't even notice them." His ducked his head, studying the floral pattern on the comforter.

Carol's lip quivered, but not because she was sad, because what he said made her feel happy and so damn good about herself. Stupid pregnancy hormones! "You really mean that, don't you?"

Daryl looked up, catching her gaze out of the corner of his eye. He gave small nod. "Ain't nothing to be ashamed of. At least the marks you got come from something good. From something you love, something that's gonna love you."

She smiled. A tight, closed lip smile, but a smile none the less. She leaned forward, her arms winding tightly around his neck. His arms slowly wound around her body as well, one arm awkwardly rubbing her bare back as she clung to him. She suddenly realized she was still shirtless and let go. She pressed her forehead against. "I'm sorry I killed the mood. I'm just not as confident as I used to be and my emotions are all over the place with this pregnancy somtimes."

"Hey, I get it. It's alright," he said softly. He gnawed at his bottom lip and leveled his eyes on hers. "You good now?"

"I am."

"I can grab your shirt," he offered. "We could just watch a movie or something."

"We could…" she smiled teasingly. "Or…We could screw around some more. If you're still in the mood?"

"Yeah?" Fearing he sounded too eager, he quickly added, "You uh, you sure?"

"Yeah," She grinned, falling backwards on the bed and tugging him down with her.


	34. Chapter 34

The next morning, Daryl awoke with Carol's back pressed firmly against his front. His arms were wound around her. One curled high around her breasts and the other hung low around her waist. He grinned to himself at the memory of last night and the warm sensation that filled his chest from holding her like this.

They hadn't had sex last night. They'd fooled around, much like they had the night before. Except last night Daryl had gone down on her first, before she even had a chance to do anything for him. They probably could have had sex, and he wanted to, he did. Really, really, badly. But he wasn't sure that he'd last very long if they did and he didn't want to disappoint her. So, he figured if they fooled around for a little while at first, that maybe his body would learn a bit more self-control and he'd be able to hold out long enough for her to get off when they finally did have sex.

Plus, he wasn't sure if there was some special trick to having sex with a pregnant lady. He knew that it was okay for her to have sex with him, since Rick and Lori still had sex whenever Lori got the urge, but he didn't know if there was a right and wrong way to do it when a woman was pregnant and he didn't wanna hurt her or the baby.

Besides, he was fine with what they were doing. And the way she sounded when he was doing it, it seemed like she was fine with it too. Hell, the way it sounded she seemed to be more than fine with it. They'd get there, eventually. And until they did, he was enjoying this part. Exploring each other. Learning what she liked, learning how to do what she liked.

Shit, he was even learning what he liked. He even enjoyed just kissing her. He never thought he could enjoy kissing someone. Enjoy someone running their hands all over his chest and tangling their fingers through his hair. The feel of her lips on his skin and her teeth nipping at his neck.

He groaned. Those kinda thoughts were giving him an erection, and it didn't help her ass was pressed right up against his crotch. He shifted slightly to put a small amount of space between them. He didn't wanna wake her up by poking her in the ass with his dick and have her thinking he expected something to happen first thing in the morning. Hell, he still wasn't entirely sure how to bring it up the next time he wanted something to happen between them. He was good to go once things progressed between them, but the "getting there" part was still hard for him to verbalize.

With the now free space Daryl made between her ass and his crotch, he repositioned his arms around her so that he was still holding her as close as possible. He wasn't ready to let go of her just yet. Something else he never thought he'd enjoy. Cuddling with someone.

His mind went to last night and how they ended up in this position in the first place.

 _***Right after they finished fooling around***_

 _Daryl was pulling his pants up. He'd just finished working the zipper and snapping the button when Carol slide back in bed beside him. She was only wearing her underwear and a large t-shirt. She leaned over and placed a soft kiss on his lips then smiled at him, and he couldn't help but smile back._

" _Wanna watch some TV?" She suggested._

 _Daryl nodded, watching her as she leaned over the bed and reached on the night stand and grabbed the remote. His eyes sweeping over her legs and up to her ass. He wasn't used to his sex drive being so high. He wasn't used to having much of a sex drive at all._

 _Carol flicked the TV on scooted back in bed, going through channels until she settled on some motorcycle show she knew he'd like. Much like the night before, she was spent between walking around all day and fooling around with him tonight. She just didn't have the energy she used to have the farther she got along in this pregnancy. She knew it wouldn't be long before she was out like a light._

 _She turned the volume down enough that she could sleep with the television still on, but not so low Daryl couldn't hear it, then she dropped the remote in the bed and rolled over onto her side. She gnawed at her bottom lip a moment, then asked, "Will you hold me until I fall asleep?"_

" _Hold you?" Daryl muttered, a bit confused by her request._

 _She almost instantly regretting that she'd asked. She knew that touching and closeness was a tricky thing for him. He'd just opened-up so much the over the weekend, she thought maybe he'd be comfortable with snuggling her. Especially since it was apparent they were now in a sexual relationship. Besides, he hadn't seemed too upset when he woke up and she was curled against him that morning. 'Never mind. It's okay. You don't have to."_

 _Daryl chewed on his bottom lip. It wasn't that he didn't want to, it was just he wasn't sure what she was asking him to do or how she wanted him to do it. He scooted closer to her and carefully draped an arm lazily over her side. "This okay?" He asked in an uncertain whisper. When he heard Carol giggle he immediately tensed and went to jerk away, thinking she was making fun of him, But her hand clasped around his wrist and stopped him before he could pull away completely._

 _She rolled so that they were face to face and she offered a sympathetic smile as she softly said, "You don't know how, do you?"_

 _He swallowed and shook his head. "Ain't never had a girlfriend before. Ain't never…This is just…" He struggled with he wanted to say and how to say it. "This is all different for me. I don't know what I'm doing." He ducked his head. Half out of embarrassment. Half out of frustration with himself and his inexperience with women._

 _She tipped his chin up and leaned in to brush her lips against his for a tender kiss. "It's okay. I can show you how to do the things you don't know how to do, things you haven't done. If you'll let me. If you want me to."_

 _He nodded, his forehead pressing against hers. "I want you to," Daryl mumbled. "Wanna know how to be a good boyfriend to you. The kind that knows how to make you happy. Wanna be the kinda man you deserve. Wanna be the kinda man good enough to be around your kid."_

 _She rolled over onto her other side again, and pulled him along with her. Wrapping his arms snugly around her middle, just under her breasts. She nuzzled her head into the back of his chest and pressed her back firmly against his front. "Are you okay with this?"_

" _Mhmhm," He hummed and nuzzled his face against her the top of her, just like she'd done to his chest._

" _You already are a good man, "Daryl," she insisted. "I wouldn't have ever let anything happen between us if I didn't think that. Not with Sophia in the picture." She wrapped her arms around his, which were still wound tightly around her, right underneath her breast. She gave them a tender, reassuring squeeze. "And as far as the boyfriend thing goes, I think you've got a good start and I think you're gonna be a whole lot better at it than you think you are. You just seem to be a natural at a lot of things."_

Several small thuds to Daryl's palm broke him out of his thoughts. He chuckled to himself at the feel of Sophia thrashing about in her mother's belly. Instead of being freaked out from the unexpected contact like he had the morning before, this time he simply moved his hand higher to get out of her way. He wasn't nearly as startled as he'd been by her movements the morning before and figured she just wanted didn't like him pressing on her. But she followed the trail of his hand and several more thuds racked against his palm. He moved his hand once again, this time to the entire opposite side of Carol's belly. No sooner than he had, the child followed his movements and he felt, what he assumed, was a flip or summersault beneath his fingertips.

"Ugggghhh," Carol sleepily groaned in his ear. "Can you two cut it out? I'm trying to sleep over here."

But when she turned to face Daryl there wasn't a hint of annoyance in her eyes. In fact, though they were red and sleep laden, he thought she was fighting a smile. "She kicked me first," he teased, trying to sound innocent and working hard to keep a straight face. "I was just holding you like you asked me to."

Carol blinked her eyes several times, stretched, yawned, then smiled at Daryl. "Blame it on the unborn child. Shame on you, Daryl Dixon. She can't even defend herself yet."

Before Daryl could respond to her with his own playful banter, his phone started buzzing loudly. He reached over to his night stand and grabbed it, groaning inwardly when the caller ID showed his older brother's name. Somehow, Daryl must have accidently his speaker phone button, because when he answered, "hello," the sound of Merle's voice saying, "How many times has she let you hit it so far?" and "I bet now you're glad I tricked her into going with you and got you that full size bed," "filled their little motel room.


	35. Chapter 35

Daryl could feel the color from his face drain the moment his idiotic, loud mouth brother's words filled the room. His gut coiled into tight knots as he watched Carol's content expression change to one of genuine shock and confusion.

"What's he talking about?" Her voice came out steady, forcibly so.

" _Oh shit_ ," Merle could be heard muttering from the other end of Daryl's line once he heard Carol's voice and realized she must have heard his comment. The sound of Daryl's own flesh and blood sent a hot wave of fury coursing through his veins. If it was physically possible, he probably would have crawled through the phone and strangled the son of a bitch. "Oh shit's what you're gonna be saying when I put my damn fist through your face, you dumb son of a bitch," Daryl growled, before hanging up the phone and tossing it on the end of the bed.

"What's he talking about, Daryl?" Carol repeated, a bit louder this time with a smidge more demand in her voice.

He could see it. The trace of hurt in her eyes. And he knew what she thought. How what is dumbass brother must have sounded like to her. He felt a strong ache in his heart seeing pain in her normally radiant, blue eyes. "I didn't want you here," he blurted out, feeling as though her gaze might rip his heart clean in two if he didn't offer some explanation. If he didn't somehow do something to make this right as quickly as he could.

Carol visibly recoiled at his words, creating as much space as the small mattress would allow between them. "You didn't…you didn't want me here? So…what? This was all just some big ruse on Merle's part to see if I'd sleep with you if he got us alone together? Is that it? And, what? You figured…you figured you might as well get what you could while I was here? Was this some twisted bet you had going on with your brother about whether or not you could nail the pregnant lady?"

Well, fuck! That hadn't been the right way of wording what he'd been trying to say. He shook his head rapidly, trying not to feel too angry that she just jumped to the conclusion that he was using her. What Merle said had sounded pretty damn bad. "No…" His voice rose a few decimals for emphasis. "Hell no! That ain't it…It ain't like that…"

"Well, what is it then?" She retorted, cooly. "Because you said you liked me…I thought we were," she trailed off and shook her head, taking a minute to regain control her emotions. Even as the thoughts jumbled through her mind and spewed out of her mouth, Daryl taking advantage of her didn't seem logical.

Especially not after all the time they'd spent together. It didn't sound like him. Not the shy man she knew. Or the man she thought she knew. But she hadn't really known him that long at all, had she? She'd been with Ed two months and hadn't realized he was a married man who was using her. And Daryl was awfully eager to get her back to the motel yesterday evening. Was it possible he'd just been toying with her? Had he and Merle just been playing some cruel joke on her this entire time they'd known her? Surely her uncle wouldn't have spoken so highly of them if they were capable of such a thing.

He ducked his head and shamefully admitted, "Merle set the whole thing up. Getting you to come here. Went behind my back and invited you. Didn't know you was coming until after I painted Sophia's room and you hugged me and said you wanted to come."

"So, this was actualy some plan from Merle? To get me to…" Carol's voice dropped to a whisper, "to sleep with you?

"Yeah…No!…Fuck, I don't know," Daryl mumbled. He felt the bed shift and swiped a hand over his face when he looked up and saw her moving to roll off the bed completely, he caught her wrist and shook his head at her, forcing his eyes to stay locked on hers, no matter how painful the look she was shooting him was. He could feel her muscles tense beneath his fingertips, but he kept a light hold on her so she couldn't escape. "It ain't like that, Carol. Ain't what you think. Merle just…He's an asshole. Alright? Biggest damn prick I ever met in my life sometimes… But he…he knew I liked you before I did. Long time before I realized that's what the hell all that weird shit I was feeling was."

Carol's expression softened and her muscles relaxed some. A soft, weary chuckle worked its way from low in her gut. "Are you trying to tell me Merle was playing cupid?"

Daryl grunted, "Hell, I reckon so. That or he just wanted to stir the pot. See me squirm. I don't know. You made me nervous. Fuck, you still do." This time he was the one emitting a low, rumbling chuckle. "You being here all weekend, the idea of being alone with you, it scared the shit out of me." He dropped the hold he had on her wrist and his hand fell flat on the white, cotton sheets. "But I couldn't tell you it wasn't my idea for you to come after you agreed to it. I couldn't stand the idea of hurting your feelings by telling you I Merle was fucking with you or that I didn't want you here. Guess I should've told you before. Been honest about things…but I wasn't thinking about it after we got here. And I do want you here. Glad you came. Glad Merle stuck his damn nose where it didn't belong," he dipped his head so his eyes weren't level with hers, "this has been one of the greatest damn weekends of my life," Daryl's cheeks flushed pink as he added, "and not just because we've been…you know?"

She inched her way back towards Daryl and took his hand, intertwining her fingers with his. She gave his hand a gentle squeeze and offered a small smile. "Maybe I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions so easily. It's just…what Merle said," she watched as Daryl nodded and swallowed, as if he understood what she was going to say, "it didn't sound too good. And to be honest, I could see Merle pulling something like that..."

He nodded in understanding, so she continued, "I guess I just…I don't know. Ed…He put on this act…And…I believed him. I really did. I believed he cared about me. I mean, I'm not naïve enough to think he loved me after two months but I really thought it could be going somewhere with him. I had no idea he had this wife and a whole other life I knew nothing about. And I guess…I guess sometimes I still don't know if I can trust my own judgment after that. So, for a second there, I let that what happened with Ed affect how what I _know_ about you. And I am sorry about that, Daryl. I really am."

"Don't gotta be," he grunted. "Ain't mad at you for it. Hell, I know how that kinda shit is. Past ain't easy to let go of sometimes. Shit sticks with us and fucks up how we think."

Her brows pulled together and a deep frown formed at the corner of her lips. "I know you do. That's why I feel so bad for thinking it, even for a second. I know that everything that happened between us, that is happening, it's new and different for you. I know letting me in hasn't been easy on you…"

Daryl hummed and gnawed at his bottom lip. "This," he motioned between them, " _us_. It's new and different for you too, ain't it? I mean, maybe you've done the boyfriend shit before, but you got a hell of a lot else to be worried about besides getting mixed up with someone like me right now. Hell, your kid's dad lied to you the whole time you knew him then walked out on her. Don't imagine you feel too damn trusting right now."

She offered him a soft smile. "I guess we both have some issues we're gonna have to overcome," she squeezed his hand again, "but I hope we can work through those together.

He gave her a small nod to let her know that's exactly what he wanted them to do. His thumb raked over her index finger as they stared into each other's eyes in silence.


	36. Chapter 36

**Sorry for the lack of updates lately. It's due to a combination of things like working more hours, being exhausted lately, and honestly just kinda losing that spark I had when I first started writing. I am planning to eventually finish this story. I really am. But I am sad to say it's probably going to be the last story I write. If the mood strikes I may do an epilogue type deal on some of my finished works, I don't know yet, but I've got something in particular set in mind for one of them. But I won't touch that until I get through this one. I'm sorry that you guys have had to wait so long for this update, I'll try really hard to designate Monday's as writing day until this one is done. Anyway, here's the long overdue update. Thanks for reading.**

As they lay in bed together, face to face, staring into each other's deep blue eyes, Carol grinned, then leaned and began to trace a trail of lazy kisses along Daryl. She started off with a chaste kiss on the lips, then moved to the side of his prickly face, giggling as his rough stubble scratched her face. Tentatively and sensually, she began working her way down his neck until she reached his pulse point, stopping to suckle the area, gently at first, then more fervently, as she nipped his salty skin with her teeth.

He hissed in response and the sound of his fingernails fisting the bed shits filled her ears with delight. Delicately, showing special attention to every detail, she worked her way back up his neck, until she finally captured his lips with hers again, to which he eagerly responded with some indistinguishable noise that was somewhere between a growl and a moan.

His hands were still curled into the sheets, tugging them so hard his knuckles were turning white, as their lips tangled together in fiery passion. As shy as she knew he was, the last two times they had fooled around, that shy exterior quickly melted away as they got caught up in the moment, both of their minds growing foggy with desire.

But it was different this time, he was purposefully holding back, restraining himself for some reason.

So, Carol took it upon herself to make a move to progress things, to let him know he didn't have to hold back and that she wanted him, that she wanted it to go farther. Right there. Right then.

Without daring to break the kiss, she inched herself closer, until her body was flush against his, frantically grinding back and forth against the erection she knew must be painfully straining against his jeans. The action earned her another one of those low, growl-like moans and she could feel the sheets below them being snatched off the corners of the bed he was gripping and pulling at them with so much force.

One of her hands slipped behind his head, tangling in his long, wild locks, and the other reached down to where he was clawing at the sheets and pulled his right hand away, planting it firmly on her hips. She felt sure such a bold move would drive the point home that it was okay for him to touch her. That she wanted him touching her.

But instead of the action giving Daryl the green light to switch into overdrive, it caused him to abruptly slam the breaks. He moved back a few inches, removing his lower body from hers, ceasing the sweet friction that was being created between them. His tongue stilled in her mouth, ending the desperate chase it had been on with hers, and before she knew it, he pulled away from her completely.

Stunned, panicked, and mortified with herself, Carol breathlessly stammered out, "Daryl, I'm sorry. What did I do wrong? I'm…I didn't mean to…I thought, I mean we've already done stuff, so I thought…I,"

"Stop," Daryl interrupted. "Ain't nothing you did wrong. Liked what we were doing. It's just," he growled again, this time not a sexy one filled with want and desire, but a frustrated, almost disappointed one. "What happened this morning after we woke up…I just…don't want you thinking that again. We ain't gotta right now."

Carol swallowed, a rush of guilt sweeping through her as she remembered how after Merle's phone call she'd accused Daryl of bringing her here just to get laid. "I didn't mean that. Not really. I just reacted to what your brother said. I don't think that. Not now."

He nodded. "Know that. Just, we ain't gotta," red crept across his cheeks transferring him from the rugged man he was to a bashful boy. "We ain't gotta rush shit. Just…Don't wanna mess this up." he quietly muttered, then averted his gaze from her.

Though the part of her that was hormonal and insanely horny wanted nothing more than to rip his clothes off and remind him they'd technically already "rushed" things twice, she restrained herself. The part of her that cared about him and where this was going between them took over and guided her. She offered him a small smile and slowly scooted closer to him, placing a chaste kiss on his forehead. "It's okay. I understand. We don't have to. Not right now."

She couldn't help the twinge of guilt that pinged its way into her heart and she wondered if her earlier accusation had affected them more than he'd let on. She hated to think she'd sent them two steps back with how far they'd come, how far he'd come with her just this weekend. "Just so you know," she added, her voice soft and sweet, and full or encouragement, "I don't think you're gonna mess this up at all, in fact I think you're pretty damn good at all of this, "she smiled again and leaned in and pressed a kiss against his lips and gave him a sultry smile "And whenever you do wanna _rush_ things, I'm more than okay with that."

His lips quirked up into a half smile and he grunted. "Wanna. Hell, I wanna more than I ever wanted to." Daryl's voice dropped so low and he mumbled to much she had to repeat what he'd said in her head three times before she realized he'd said, "Just wanna be with you more. Really be with you."

Carol smiled as a well of emotions filled the pit of her stomach at his words. He'd looked away from her so quickly she wasn't sure he'd even meant to say that part out loud. She reached over and cupped his chin, slowly turned his face until his eyes once again met hers. "That's good to know," she stated matter of factly, "because I really wanna be with you, too. More than I think I've ever wanted to be with anyone." And she knew by the way his lips involuntary twitched into a full-on grin and the spark she saw glistening in his baby blue eyes, that was just what he needed to hear back.


	37. Chapter 37

**Wow. It's been forever. Here's an update. I can honestly say I don't know when the next one will be, but I'll try not to make it take so long.**

Without moving her head, Carol cast a glance at Daryl out of the corner of her eyes. She was sitting in the passenger seat of her Jeep Grand Cherokee as he drove the two of them home from their weekend getaway. Almost since the moment they sat down in their seats, Daryl had been quiet, eerily quiet.

In fact, he was only entertaining her attempts at conversation on the ride home with grunts and mumbles, and the occasional "yep" or "nah."

And even though he was normally a man of few words, the silence that had settled between them since leaving Atlanta left her with a nervous bubbling deep in the pit of her stomach. This wasn't the normal type of quiet she'd grown used to with Daryl. It wasn't the comfortable type of silence she'd learned she could enjoy while being in his presence.

No, this was something else entirely, something that had her fearing the unexpected journey they'd just began over the weekend was about to come to an abrupt, screeching halt.

Even though the conversation they'd had that very morning about how much he liked her and how great of a day they'd had up until the set foot in her car suggested otherwise. The stolen kisses he'd allowed her to plant on him when she found a hidden crevice in the convention center, ones that left him grinning like a goofy teenager. The way his calloused thumb lightly circled over her skin as they walked hand in hand in front of God only knows how many strangers.

It just didn't add up. How he could've changed his mind so quickly after being so definitive about them only 24 hours before. But maybe he had. Maybe he realized that dating a pregnant woman wasn't such a good idea. Maybe he realized she had too much baggage. Maybe he decided he wasn't ready to be her boyfriend and they didn't know each other that well after all.

Warily, she kept her eyes trained on him. Searching for something, anything in his demeanor to give her a clue, as he sat there, stone-faced, eyes fiercely trained on the road ahead of them.

Finally, he must have felt the weight of her gaze, because his eyes briefly swept over and met hers, just as quickly flitting away and back towards the blacktop ahead.

The bubble or worry that had been festering in the pit of her stomach for the past two hours finally burst when she anxiously blurted out, "Change your mind already?" The words were out of her mouth before she knew it and had time to think about them, and though she hoped she'd made it sound like a teasing joke, she wasn't so sure the uncertainty in her own voice had betrayed her.

And that uncertainty must've shown, because this time when his eyes snapped over to her they lingered on her long enough she worried he wasn't paying enough attention to the road. "Change my mind about what?" He replied, confusion in his own voice, while stealing glances between her eyes and the road every two seconds.

To distract herself, Carol's hand swept over her belly. Her daughter was doing summer saults beneath the seat belt and the movement offered her something else to focus on. It also gave her a reason not to meet Daryl's eyes as she added, "About us. About…me."

He blinked several times, as if trying to process her words. "Course not. Why would I?"

"It's just…Well, you've been really quiet. You've barely spoken to me the whole way home."

His teeth raked over his bottom lip and he nodded. "Reckon I have."

"Why? She prodded when he didn't elaborate.

"Why what?"

"Why are you being so quiet. Why won't you hardly look at me?

Once again, his eyes found the road. "Because…" He muttered.

Her eyebrows raised expectantly and she had to bite back her frustration. "Because why?"

"Because we're going home," he sighed. When that only earned him an even more perplexed, and still concerned, look from his new girlfriend, he continued. "Just, I didn't, I don't, I don't wanna get home and for you to," his voice dropped, "for you to realize this was a bad idea. That being with me is a bad idea."

Carol felt the tension drain from her gut and she could feel the features in her own face soften. "Why would I think that?" Though it was replaced by a certain sadness that he had the same fears she did.

His only response was a shrug.

"Daryl," she softly began, placing a gentle hand on his thigh. "I like you. I liked you before we went on this trip. If I wasn't pregnant, I probably would've let you know how I felt a lot sooner. Going home isn't going to change that."

His eyes dropped to where her hand was circling over the fabric of his jeans. "Ain't gonna be the same at home," he muttered. "I ain't gonna be the same."

Her hand stopped in place. "How so?"

"Was different in Atlanta. You know? Was just you and me and that room and that tiny ass bed." When a giggle escaped Carol's lip he let the corner of his lip twitch upwards for a brief moment, but quickly straightened his face into a stern line. "Felt like another world up there. Felt like I was somebody different. Somebody who knew what the hell he was doing."

Carol's hand swept over his thigh once again and she squeezed lightly, a grin etching her face. "You seemed to know what you were doing just fine to me." She teased.

"Stop," he grumbled, though she could see the smile in his eyes.

"I like you, Daryl," she reiterated. "I like who you are."

He grunted, as if he couldn't quite find it in himself to believe that. "Like who I was this weekend," he finally continued, chewing the inside of his cheek as he spoke. "But that ain't….ain't who I normally am." And that was the damn truth. He wasn't normally the kind guy the right words to say to reassure someone. He wasn't normally the kinda guy who cuddled. Or that told someone how he felt about them. Hell, he wasn't even sure he was usually the kinda guy who knew what the fuck to do in the bedroom.

But all of that had seemed to come so naturally with her this weekend, all of it. It'd been so…easy. Like second nature in that damn motel, and he'd felt like someone else the entire time. And not in a bad way. He'd liked who he'd been with her over the weekend. He'd been more confident, bolder. More so than he'd probably been in his entire life.

Only problem was, now he was worried that it was some fluke. That when they got back home that every ounce of courage he'd found to be so open with her, to be so close to her, that it would disappear as quick as it had seemed to come about.

He didn't wanna disappoint her. He didn't want her to realize she was with a damn near thirty-year old man who didn't have the first fucking clue about how to be a boyfriend. Didn't want her to realize that dating him was gonna be more trouble than it was worth. After all, she was about to have a kid, having him in her life would be like having two. Because in a lot of ways, he realized he was still just a fucking kid himself.

"What do you mean?" She asked softly. "Talk to me, please?"

An agitated sigh escape d his lips and he shook his head. "Don't know how to be your boyfriend. Don't know how to be nobody's boyfriend. Don't know…Know what hell I'm doing. Ain't gonna know what I'm doing." He kept his eyes fiercely trained on the road as he spoke, too embarrassed to look over at her. Admitting his insecurities to her like that left him feeling more exposed than he had when they'd fooled around over the weekend. And when she unexpectedly leaned over and brushed his stubbly cheek with her lips he couldn't help but flinch.

"It's okay," she whispered, tenderly planting another kiss, only a little lower this time, closer to his jawline. "It's okay if you don't know," she repeated. "We all have to start somewhere, and lucky for you, I'm a teacher. And a pretty damn good one at that."

"It ain't…"

Carol cut him off, her voice firm, but not angry. "It is alright, Daryl. Trust me. It is. I don't care that you've never had a girlfriend before. I wouldn't care if you'd had a hundred." He snorted and she chucked. "Just like me being pregnant doesn't bother you. Does it?"

He cut his eyes at her. "Course not. Why would you think it did?"

"Because it would bother a lot of people," she answered honestly. "And rightfully so. It's not what a lot of people would sign up for. And maybe a lot of people wouldn't want a guy who hadn't had a lot of experience with women, but that doesn't bother me at all. At the end of the day we all have our baggage. Everyone does." She offered him a small smile. "But I don't mind helping you carry yours if you don't mind helping me carry mine."

He raised a brow at her. "You want me to tote your kid around?"

"What? No! I mean…I don't know, maybe if I need you to hold her for a second at some point but I'm not asking you to."

Daryl hummed, giving her the tiniest hint of a grin as he interrupted her. "Know what you meant."

She grinned back and rolled her eyes. "Asshole."

"Just...I…I want you to know what you're getting with me."

"I know what I'm getting," she told him confidently. "And I wouldn't even consider being with you right now if I didn't think it was something pretty damn great."

Daryl took one hand off the steering wheel, tentatively inching it closer and closer until it clasped over Carol's. His voice raspy, he replied, "Yeah?"

She intertwined their fingers and gave his hand a squeeze. "Yeah."


	38. Chapter 38

Antsy.

That's the best word Daryl could think of to describe how he was feeling right about then as he paced his kitchen floor, the cool hard wood feeling slick underneath his bare feet as he pivoted on his heel and started what had to be his twentieth lap in the past five minutes.

A grumble emitted from low in the back of his throat as he was about to turn and begin on lap twenty-one. His stilled himself and paused as he stood in front of the edge of his kitchen table, glaring at the white door on the other end of his kitchen. The door that led to the hallway separating his side of the house from Carol's.

He found his thumb involuntarily wedged its way to the corner of his lip, his teeth raking at a loose flake of skin on his calloused, scarred thumb. He shifted back and forth on the balls of his before letting out an agitated growl and returning to his tedious trek. He was starting to think he'd end up wearing a hole in the damn floor before the night was over.

Ridiculous.

That what he was being. Down-right damn ridiculous.

Why couldn't he make up his damn mind what he wanted to do?

He grunted and shook his head.

Because he didn't know what the fuck to do. That's why.

When he and Carol had gotten home from their trip earlier, he'd helped her carry her bags back to her place. She'd told him what a good time she'd had with him and how glad she was that she'd gone, and how she was even happier that everything that happened between them had, indeed, happened. She'd been smiling, grinning from ear to ear, and he'd given her a goofy grin of his own.

But then she'd told him she had to get busy starting on lesson plans. That tomorrow was her first day of pre-planning at her new school, and that her principal wanted _all_ of the teachers to have lesson plans for the first week in place and that she and all of the other English teachers would have to critique each other's plans and have them up to par by the time the kids started class. She said she probably should've been working on her plans long before now, but she'd been so caught up moving, getting settled, and going to doctor's appointments that she kept putting it off and just couldn't any longer.

Then, she'd asked him if he wanted to come over tomorrow around six and have dinner with her, of course he'd told her he'd be there. After that, they shared a kiss. One that was tentative and shy at first, but lingered and grew more passionate, leaving them both blushing and a bit breathless as they pulled away.

Daryl had gone back his side of the house, assuming he was long overdue for some alone time by this point seeing as he'd spent the entire weekend with her. Not that he didn't enjoy being around her and hadn't savored every minute of it, but he knew himself well enough. Knew he needed solitude, needed to be alone more often than most people. Even though he did feel slightly disappointed she had to go so quickly after they got home, he'd felt comfortable with it after the talk they'd had on the way home. After she assured him she liked him and that nothing was gonna change just because they were home.

He found himself believing her. Believing what she said. And that was huge for him. He didn't trust people easily, especially not someone he knew had the ability to let him down. And damn if she didn't have that ability. At this point, he was pretty sure she had the ability to flat out crush him.

Because not long after she'd gone back to her place and he'd been left to his own devices, he'd found himself feeling something entirely unexpected.

He missed her.

He'd been away from her for two hours and he already fucking missed her. And to top it off, she was within walking distance of him. He wasn't even out of their shared yard when that realization hit him. He'd been in his shop tinkering with his bike when he'd started thinking about her, wondering what she was doing, wanting to talk to her, thinking about kissing her again, thinking about everything that happened between them…and the one thing that didn't...

Soon enough the distraction became too much, because he kept contemplating walking over to her part of the house and seeing what she was up to. But he kept stopping himself. He didn't wanna disturb her when she was trying to work, and more importantly, he didn't want her to think he was some clingy ass pussy stalker guy. They'd literally spent an entire weekend together. She probably wanted some time away from him.

To try and get her off his mind off of going to see her and clear his own head from this frightening new need to be around her so much he'd decided to spend some time in the woods. That was usually the place he could go to not think about anything at all, to just find peace and complete solitude.

He'd stayed out there until right at dark when the harvest moon was starting to rise, large and round, resembling a giant orange ball of fire hanging the sky. On his way back, he'd stopped in front of the rickety old wooden fence that separated the edge of his property from the woods, the one he and Merle hadn't gotten around to replcing yet, pausing as the back of the brick house came into view. He fished his cigarettes out of his pocket and leaned against the dilapidated fence to light one. The flame on the end of cigarette illuminated the darkness around him, mimicking a miniature version of that giant rising harvest moon.

The menthol smoke filled his lungs and he felt himself briefly gain a bit of relaxation. That urge to see her and talk to her hadn't dissipated while he'd been in the woods, and upon noticing her kitchen light on when the house came into his line of sight he'd had to keep telling himself not to bother her. That he'd see tomorrow afternoon. He shouldn't be feeling like this. It wasn't normal, for someone to consume your thoughts like that, was it? To want to be around someone so much. To feel like you needed them. If she knew she'd probably think he was a creep. Wouldn't she?

Realizing how much he liked her, it was terrifying for him. He'd spent his whole life trying to avoid this feeling. Thinking he never wanted it. But somehow, slowly, without realizing it, he'd let her in the past month. Closer than he'd ever let anyone get to him, and in a way that he hadn't ever imagined letting someone get close to him.

As scary as it was, as much as he never thought he'd want it, it was also exciting, thrilling, and completely overwhelming, but it was something he didn't wanna let go of. Something he didn't wanna mess up.

So even after he finally got back to his place, he kept stopping himself from bothering her for fear of pushing her away or coming on too strong. And that's how he'd ended up pacing his floors, anxious and frustrated beyond belief.

But after ten more minutes or fighting with himself not to go over there, he found he finally couldn't take it anymore, and neither could his feet. He'd rubbed a damn quarter sized blister on the bottom of them by now.

Maybe he could just knock on her door and say hey? Nah, that would be weird. Ask to borrow something? That wouldn't seem weird, would it? People did stuff like that, didn't they?

With a frustrated huff, he finally decided to stop torturing himself and just go for it. He marched over to that white door and turned the handle in one swift motion, knowing if he hesitated he'd pussy out and go back to running around his kitchen for the rest of the night.

When he opened the door, he jumped back slightly. He hadn't expected the light in the hallway that separated their homes to be on and Carol to be at the exact opposite end where her door was, closing it just as he was opening his.

Carol seemed just as surprised to see him, her already large eyes growing even wider than normal. "Hey," she said, with a sheepish smile. Her eyes leveled with his briefly before dropping to the floor.

"Hey," Daryl muttered, with even less confidence than she was showing. His eyes kept flicking from her face to her feet as they stood in momentary silence. Both looking like their hands had been caught in the cookie jar, but neither wanting to admit it.

"What are you doing?" Carol finally asked, unable to take the thick silence.

Daryl shrugged, his top teeth scraping over his bottom lip. "Wanted to borrow…" Fuck, he couldn't think of anything he might need to borrow. "Uh, wanted to borrow, uh, some of that." He'd randomly pointed to the left without looking at what he was aiming for.

"My bra?" Carol giggled, her eyes landing where her dirty clothes hamper sat. Daryl seemed to be pointing directly at her light blue bra sitting very noticeably on top of it.

Daryl winced, but didn't respond directly, instead he tried to quickly change the subject. "What about you? About to wash clothes or something?" He mumbled. Assuming she'd just come in there to do some chore since it was where her laundry room was located.

She shook her head, her arms folding over the top of her protruding belly. The tension drained from her body and the previously sheepish look was replaced by a light, genuine smirk. She pointed to her clothes hamper. "Nah, I was gonna get that tomorrow." That got his attention and his eyes snapped open and met hers. "I finished my lesson plans," she continued casually. Tried to sleep but couldn't. Sophia's being a little acrobat tonight." That earned one of those small chuckles from Daryl the kind that were hard to distinguish from grunts but that she'd learned to decipher over the past month by the way one side of his lip would twitch up.

"Whatcha doing in here then?" Daryl responded with genuine curiosity.

Carol stepped away from her door and towards his, cautiously approaching and placing a hand on either side of his hip. She shrugged a single shoulder, grinned, then stood on tip toes and carefully placed a chaste kiss on his lips, she pulled away slightly, but kept her hands on his hips. "Figured I'd see if you were still up and wanted company."

"Yeah?" he replied, his voice coming out raspy.

She nodded. "Any chance you were maybe doing the same thing, or did you just wanna see how you looked in that?" She pointed to her bra again and grinned mischievously.

Daryl felt his cheeks burn and his eyes flitted down in embarrassment for being caught for a brief moment, but they quickly rose again when he realized she'd wanted to see him too. "Maybe," he confessed quietly. When her brows arched upwards he decided to stop being so coy and chuckled lowly. "Yeah…Yeah I might've been."

Carol's head fell forwards and she rested it on his chest, inhaling his scent. He smelled like pine needles, sweat, and menthol cigarettes. Early in her pregnancy such a smell probably would have left her hurling, but she found it strangely comforting now. She nuzzled her head against his cotton shirt and wrapped her arms around him, her body pressing flush against his. He embraced her back, though with some slight hesitance at first. Though it didn't take long at all for him to quickly relax into her touch. So, she was surprised when, only a moment later, she found he was pushing her forward slightly, breaking the contact between them.

Confusion etched her face, she was about to ask him if something was wrong but he started to explain for her.

He hummed and nodded towards her belly. "Sophia's kicking. 'Bout got me in the nuts."

Carol snorted and Daryl gave her a peeved look. "I'm sorry, it's not funny." She apologized, though she was still biting back a laugh.

His face softened and he snorted himself. "Is pretty damn funny." He agreed. "Kid ain't even born yet and she's already trying to bust my balls." They shared another quick laugh and then things got silent. This time, Daryl was the one to break it. "Is it, uh, it alright if I come over?" To his surprise, Carol shook her head no. His face fell and his heart dropped in his chest. "But I…You said…"

Before Daryl could finish freaking out, she interrupted him. "You ever taken a girl to your bedroom before?"

He slowly shook his head at her, still feeling very confused and a tab bit dejected.

With a sultry grin, she replied. "You want to tonight?"

Both of his brows shot up. "Hell yeah!" He cleared his throat instantly when he realized how eager that sounded. "I mean, ah, yeah. Yeah. I'd like for you to come over."

She linked his hand with hers and nodded towards his door. "Well, let's go then."

 **Hope you guys enjoyed. This chapter came easier to me than writing has in while and I hope it means I can get back to more regular updates. I'm very glad to know some of you are still into this after so long. I missed writing a lot.**


	39. Chapter 39

Hand in Hand, the duo made the short stroll from Carol's laundry room to Daryl's bedroom. Carol couldn't help but grin at Daryl as he kept glancing over his shoulder at her on the way to his room, a mix of emotions hidden behind those deep blue eyes of his. Excitement, nervousness, and maybe even a hint of pride that she'd wanted to come here with him.

Daryl stepped through the threshold of his doorway first, still gripping her hand tightly in his. She could feel his palm sweating beneath hers and she wasn't sure if it was from nerves or the heat of a warm night in the middle of a humid Georgia summer. Maybe it was a bit of both.

Carol's eyes wandered around his large bedroom as she followed him inside. A bedroom twice the size of both the ones on her side of the house. She'd been in there before. When he invited her over for dinner and Rick and Lori's lasagna had made her sick. She'd had to rush to his bathroom but she'd been a bit preoccupied at the time with the urge to puke her guts out and hadn't paid much attention to the bedroom.

Now, she couldn't help letting her eyes explore. Taking in all the little details of the room. From the mounted game on the walls, to a shelf that contained wide assortments of rocks and stones, another shelf with old bottles, framed feathers, and breath taking photographs of animals and plants in the wild that lined the wall. They almost looked professional. There was also a gun cabinet in the corner, directly in front of his bed, that was filled with rifles and shotguns. A crossbow and compound bow hung on his wall. She found herself almost surprised to see that his bed was made neatly, and aside from a few magazines scattered on his night stand a couple of pair of boots laying in the floor, his was bedroom was much tidier than she'd have expected it to be.

This time, taking the lead, she slowly began to make her way around his room. Carefully inspecting every unique item that he had trophied up on his shelves or mounted on his wall. She found herself wanting to appreciate all of those things that made him, him. And he followed her steps without question, walking in tandem with her, though he did seem a bit confused and curious at her interest in all his things.

She reached forward as she stood in front of one of his shelves, plucking a green, marble looking stone from it. She pinched it between her thumb and index finger, turning it over several times. "What is this?

"That's jasper," Daryl told her.

She ran her thumb over the stone, tracing the smooth edges. "It's beautiful. Where'd you find it?"

"Out near that quarry me and you found. A couple days after I went out there with you the first time. I went after work one evening before dark."

She shot him a teasing grin. "And you didn't think to invite me? We could've had a romantic picnic."

He bit the inside of his cheek and his eyes flicked to the floor, staring heavily at his boots.

"I'm teasing," she replied, squeezing his hand when it occurred to her that she'd made him feel guilty for not asking her to tag along.

Daryl grunted but seemed much more relaxed as he looked up again. He nodded to the stone in her hand. His voice came out a little uncertain and self-conscious, as he told her, "You know jasper, they uh, they call it the supreme nurturer. It's supposed to be a stone of grounding and stability and it promotes comfort, strength, and healing."

"Really?"

"Mmhmm."

"How do you know that?" She asked, her blue eyes smiling at him, impressed by his knowledge on the matter.

Daryl shrugged a shoulder. "Books," he muttered.

"I had no idea you were into legends."

"Ain't," he replied. "I mean, not really. Not like I'm into hunting. But some of that stuff is pretty cool to know. Besides, wasn't like there was anything else to do when I was a kid other than playing in the woods. We didn't have a lot of money for toys and shit and even when we did my mama wasn't exactly the type to go out and spoil us."

Carol had to fight the frown at the bitter, hurt tone that had overtaken his voice. Instead, she tried to change the subject from his mother and focus it back on him. "Did you go to the library a lot?"

Shaking his head, he replied, "Nah. Ain't never had a ride there and usually lived too far out in the country to get there on my own. But uh, I lived in this one trailer park as a kid. A lady and her husband ran it. Older couple. They lived at the top of the hill that went into the trailer park and the lady, she used to be a librarian or something before she retired, anyway she had all these old books. She used to bring them to me and Merle that summer we lived there."

"That was nice of her," Carol commented.

Daryl hummed. "Yeah, she was. We moved in there so mama could live with her boyfriend, Dalton. Son bitch got locked up three months after he moved us in for selling dope. Mama had just moved to town and she didn't have no job or nothing. He'd been paying all the bills with his drug money. Mrs. Hendrix, that lady that gave us all those books, she let mama stay there because of me and Merle. Didn't charge her rent. Helped her get on food stamps and something called TANIF so we could have power and water. When renters would move out and leave a trailer wrecked she'd pay mama to clean it up. Hell, the lady used to bring us homemade pies and cobblers every Sunday. Even bought Merle a new bike for his birthday because she knew mama didn't have the money to get him nothing."

Carol stilled completely, taking in every word he said. This was the most about his childhood she'd ever heard him mention. "She sounds like she was a great woman. I'm sure your mother was very grateful to her."

Daryl growled, that angry, bitter tone returned with a vengeance, his blue eyes growing dark and icy. "Yeah, real grateful. Mama was a peach to her for all she did for us. She was so damn grateful that she showed Mr. Hendrix just how much she appreciated everything. Mrs. Hendrix came home from a Bible study meeting early one evening and caught the old man in bed with mama. She wasn't so fond of mama after," he shook his head at the memory. "By the time me and Merle got back from that camp she'd pawned us off at all our shit had been thrown out of the trailer and we didn't have a place to live. Stayed in a roach motel for three weeks after that. It only had one bed and me and Merle had to sleep on the floor until she met another man to take care of her."

Slowly, Carol removed her hand from his. She placed her palm over his lower back and gently rubbed slow circles over his shirt. She rested her head on his shoulder and whispered, "I'm sorry," softy.

He cleared his throat and steadied his voice, trying to void it of any emotion. "You ain't gotta be. It was a long time ago. Besides, ain't even the worse thing she ever did."

Carol swallowed and fought a shudder at the thought of what he meant by that. She wasn't sure she was ready to hear what the worst thing was, though she could guess, and it wasn't pretty. And based on Daryl's demeanor, she wasn't sure he was ready to talk about it. She pulled her arm out from around him and moved to where she was standing directly in front of him. She stared into his eyes for moment, placed a hand on one side of his face, then on tip toes, she gave him a tender kiss on the lips.

After the conversation they'd just had, she found herself surprised when he didn't flinch or pull into his shell, instead he responded and kissed her back, parting his lips and slicking his tongue out over her lips in an invitation to deepen the kiss. She let him, parting her own lips and letting her tongue dance with his. They stayed liked that for a moment, getting lost on in one another. Both of Carol's hands found Daryl's and she placed the stone she'd been holding in his hand. She closed his palm around the stone and placed her hand over his. She pulled away, her tongue jutting out over her kiss-swollen lips.

Standing on her tip toes again, she leaned forward and pressed her forehead against his. As she gathered her breath, she asked, "Do you think this is really a stone of comfort and healing?"

"I don't know," he murmured.

"Well, maybe, if it is," she mused, trying to choose her words carefully, "maybe you were meant to find it."

Daryl swallowed. With a shaky breath, he leaned in and initiated another kiss. This one didn't turn heated, instead it remained quick and sweet. When it was over, he pulled away and rested his forehead against hers again. "Maybe," he mumbled, then grew silent. After a beat, barely above a low whisper, he added "but maybe it ain't the stone I was supposed to find."

Carol smiled, though the words had almost knocked the breath out of her. Things between them were happening so fast and it should have been terrifying for her to hear him say that. And in a way, it was given her situation, given how fast things started with Ed and how abruptly and badly they ended, but it was exhilarating and wonderful to hear him say something like that. To insinuate that maybe she was what he'd been needing.

Feeling as though he might not be able to take anything much more emotionally heavy that night, she deiced to take on another tactic, to maybe show him how much she cared for him in a slightly different way, a more physical one. She opened his palm again, peeling the stone out of it and placing it back on his shelf. She grabbed his hand again, but instead of exploring some more, this time she led him to his bed on the other side of the room, right next to his window.

"So," she began, nodding to his bed as they stepped in front of it. "This is your bed." He nodded, an eyebrow slightly raised, as if he wasn't quite sure where she was going with this. She chuckled at his innocence, or maybe it was naivety, she wasn't sure, but she found it strangely adorable. "And there's never been in a girl in it, right?" She grinned.

He shook his head. "Just told you there ain't never been one in my room before you, how the hell would there have been one if my bed," he grumbled, as if it should've been obvious.

Still holding his hand, she carefully took a seat on the edge of the bed. "Well, there is now."

A low growl escaped his throat and his tongue snaked out over his lips. Carol was grinning at him, and when she tugged at his hand he quickly found himself seated in the spot next to her. "Ain't never kissed a girl in my bed either," he told her, a mischievous glint in his blue eyes.

"Is that right?" she hummed.

His eyes darted to her lips. "Mmhmm. Never."

The corner of her lip twitched up. "You wanna change that?"

Eagerly, his head bobbed up and down, indicating a "yes."

"Well, don't just sit there staring at me then, come here." She watched as he sucked in a deep breath, then leaned in, his lips crashing on hers desperately.

Carol wasn't entirely sure what happened next and how much time had passed, but somehow, they'd moved from their position on the edge of his bed, both of them now sprawled out in the middle of the bed, in the midst of a heated make-out session. Hands were roaming, moans of pleasure escaping each of their lips, his belt was gone, her socks and shoes, the button of her jeans was undone, and the next thing she knew, her shirt was coming over her head and was flung to the edge of the bed. Before she knew it, he was working her bra as their bodies grinded together in fiery rhythm, both desperate to find some relief.

He fumbled with her clasp for a few moments, uttering a slew of irritated curses as he struggled to free her breasts. Driven by her wants and needs, she almost reached around and un-did it for him, but stopped, reminding herself that it might stunt his confidence if she had to step in for him and the last thing she wanted to do was kill the mood. Instead, she arched her back, giving him better access, and finally he was able to free the clasp once and for all.

"Stupid damn bra," he muttered, before throwing it across the room, then he began greedily assaulting her neck, alternating between suckling and nipping at her ivory skin.

She stifled a giggle, then had to stifle another when she realized he was probably going to leave a hicky on her neck. At least it would probably be gone by the time her students came back. She tugged at the cotton of his shirt, balling it tightly in her fists as she pulled him closer to her, seeking more relief from burning heat between her legs. One hand continued its grip on his shirt as the other worked its way down to the crotch of his jeans, popping the button in one swift motion. She reached for the zipper next, freeing his straining erection from the confines of his jeans and stroking her hand up and down the length of him.

"Fuck," he growled into her neck. He was tugging at her bottoms now, and she shimmed out of them quickly. She was left only in her panties and he found himself kicking his own jeans off until he was only left in his t-shirt and boxers. He pulled away, stopping to search her eyes. "Do you wanna…Can we…" He couldn't quite find the words he needed to ask before going any farther.

Luckily for him, she seemed to understand what he was asking and wanted it just as bad. "I want you," it came out almost as whimpering beg.

His lips found hers again and her rolled to move on top of her, but her palms landing flat on his chest stopped him. Flushed, he stared at her in confusion, slight hint of frustration, mingled with a look of rejection.

"I want you," she repeated, pressing her lips to his for clarification. "I just need to be on top." The look of confusion, frustration, and rejection didn't quite vanish the way she'd anticipated.

"Why? You think I'm gonna suck at it or something?" He mumbled, his eyes flicking from her bare breasts to his comforter.

"No, of course not!" She bit back a sigh, hoping the mood and hadn't been ruined. "The baby," she nodded to her belly. "There's only certain ways we can…you know...do it this late in the pregnancy without hurting her or me." Her hand came up and cupped his face. "And I wanna be able look at you our first time. It's one of the only ways I can right now."

"Oh…Sorry." His eyes were still trained on the comforter and he'd started pinching the fabric between his thumb and index finger.

"It's okay," she assured him. "Maybe I should've explained first. Do you…Do you wanna stop? Do you want me to leave?" 

He picked his head up and his eyes met hers, he shook his head. "Still want you…wanna be with you…like that." He winced. "If you still want that?"

She nodded, then pushed him to where he was lying flat on his back. Carefully, she straddled him, then began trailing kisses from his chest to his neck, then his jawline, until finally they landed on his lips. Her pantie-clad lower half grinding hungrily against his erection, which had long since escaped the flap of his boxers.

When she pulled away to catch her breath he grinned at her. "You know, I think I kinda like this view better anyway" She blushed and grinned, then his thumbs landed high on her hips, sinking into the inside of her panties, he gently tugged at the elastic material. "You uh, you wanna get out of these," he asked, his voice husky and hopeful all at once. She nodded and allowed him to pull them down, though she had to be the one to fully remove them once they reached her thighs to she didn't lose her balance and fall off of him.

Once her panties were gone, she lowered herself on top of him once again, and though he was still wearing his shirt and boxers and she wanted to be able to see all of him, she was so damn horny she didn't care at the moment. She just wanted him inside of her. Right then and there.

She rocked her body back and forth over the length of him, crying out as her bare skin touched his for the first time, sending a wave of pleasure shooting throughout her entire body. He wasn't even inside of her yet and she was already going crazy. It had been so long since she had sex that he'd probably get two strokes in before she fell apart.

"Holy damn, woman!" he groaned, as she rocked her body back and forth over his once again. His fingertips digging into the skin of her thigh.

"I need you inside me, now! Please?" She begged, leaning forward slightly so she could position herself to allow him to slide in her.

He arched his hips and let her grab ahold of him to help guide him inside but before she could sink down on him they were very unexpectedly interrupted.

"Holy fucking shit!" Merle cackled wildly. "Would you take-a-look at this! Get it baby boy! About damn time you got your dick wet!"


	40. Chapter 40

"Oh my God!" Carol shrieked as the sound of Merle's gruff, lewd voice penetrated her ears. Her eyes darted in his direction on instinct and she was left feeling mortified and completely exposed as she realized that the positioning of Daryl's bedroom door had given his older brother a full view to her naked body and the activities they'd been engaging in.

"Relax darling," Merle cackled again, leaning against the frame of Daryl's door. The elder Dixon brought a bottle of Jim Bean he'd been clutching in his left hand up to his lips and took a long swig. He hummed in satisfaction, then smirked at Carol . "Ain't no reason to be embarrassed. Just because you got that belly there and a few stretch marks don't mean I wasn't enjoying the show." He moved his hands in front of his chest and cupped the air. "Titties were bouncing up and down real nice."

Daryl lunged forward from his supine position, his strong arms wrapping around Carol's body and covering her nakedness from his brother's eyes. "I'm gonna fucking kill you," he growled through clenched teeth. "Get out! Now!" He warned, his tone deadly as his eyes narrowed dangerously on his older brother.

Carol could feel the tension in every muscle of Daryl's body as he held her body flush against his to keep Merle's gaze from her exposed skin. She was certain she could even feel every anger fueled beat of his pounding heart against her own bare chest. "Get out, Merle!" She echoed, her own rage welling up deep in her gut.

Merle still seemed to find the situation amusing and didn't appear to be budging, chuckling to himself lowly as he remained in place leaning against Daryl's doorframe. "Well hell, it ain't like y'all are gonna finish now anyway. Why don't you get dressed and keep me company?" He held up the bottle of Jim Bean. "Darlina can help me finish it off and we can celebrate him popping his cherry. You did get it in, right?"

"FUCKING SWEAR ON MAMA'S GRAVE, MERLE, I'M GONNA KILL YOU DEAD IF YOU DON'T GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY ROOM, RIGHT FUCKING NOW!" Daryl barked, pure fury in his eyes. If Carol wasn't completely naked in his lap he probably would've lunged out of bed and gone after his brother the moment he'd heard the asshole's voice.

Merle held up a hand in defeat. "Okay, okay. I'm going, I'm going." He turned and started to walk off.

"And you best get the hell out of the house!" Daryl warned. "Because I'm gonna come kick your ass the moment I get outta this bed."

Mumbling something incoherent, Merle started stumbling out of his younger brother's room.

"Close the door," Carol hollered after Merle as he stepped out of the bedroom. She was surprised when he actually did pull the door closed behind himself.

Daryl's head fell to Carol's shoulder and he let out an agitated sigh. His furious tone dissipated into a much softer one as he asked her, "You okay?" Lifting his head to search her eyes as she answered.

She nodded, her forehead falling against his. "Your brother's a disgusting asshole."

A growl rumbled in the back of Daryl's throat. "Gonna kill that son of a bitch."

She raked her fingers through the back of his shaggy hair, having to take a moment to pause and work them out when they got caught in a tangle that had likely formed as she'd been grinding against him. "We left your door open. I suppose we should've closed it and locked it."

"I didn't think he was coming home," Daryl countered, though he sounded like he felt guilty for not thinking to take precaution to the fact Merle might walk in on them. "Asshole wasn't supposed to be back until Monday."

"It's okay," she insisted, though she did feel a bit violated that Merle had seen them, had seen her naked body. And in addition to that, she was very disappointed that he'd interrupted them before they could truly begin. She was left feeling extremely sexually frustrated.

"I'mma go handle Merle," he announced, pulling his arms from where they'd been securely wrapped around her. His eyes scanned the room, finding different articles of her clothing splayed all over the place. "You uh, you wanna get dressed."

"Yeah," she replied, pulling in a sharp intake of breath. "That's probably a good idea," she tried to hide the disappointment in her voice, but it was hard to fight it.

"Sorry," he muttered. He hung his head low in an attempt t to avoid her gaze.

"Not your fault," she said, then gave him a weak smile. "There'll be plenty of other opportunities. And next time we'll make sure we're at my place."

His lip twitched slightly and when she leaned forward and planted a quick peck on his cheek he couldn't stop the little grin that formed at the innocent contact and her suggestion.

"Go handle your brother," she told him, gently patting the side of his face before she climbed off his lap.

()()()()() 

The softer, gentler tone Daryl had taken on with Carol vanished the moment Daryl walked through his kitchen and found Merle sitting at their dining room table. His jaw set and his lips formed into a stern, angry line as he stomped towards him. "The fuck's your problem!" Daryl demanded

"Oh, come on," Merle spat! "Chill the fuck out. We should be celebrating," He held up the liquor bottle to Daryl. "You got laid. Congratufuckinglations! 'Bout damn time"

Daryl swatted the extended bottle out of Merle's hand and it hit the floor, shattering with a loud clank and spilling the light brown liquid. "You think this is funny?" He hissed, stepping directly in front of his older brother, who was still sitting in a chair at the table. "Ain't fucking funny," Daryl snarled before Merle could respond.

"Oh shit," Merle snickered. "Did I bust up in there before you could slide on in? Damn, that's some hard shit right there." His eyes flicked to Daryl's crotch, he was only in boxers. His little brother hadn't bothered to put jeans on before coming out to confront him. "Or not so hard anymore I suppose." He snickered again.

Daryl snatched his brother up by the collar of the shirt and pinned him against the wall. Merle was too wasted to respond quick enough to fight back. Daryl was rearing back to punch his brother square in the jaw when a hand on his shoulder, accompanied by a tender voice, pulled him back in.

"Daryl, don't." Carol told him, as sweetly as she could, though she was just as angry with the man standing in front of her. She just didn't see what good these two beating each other senseless would accomplish, what was done was done. "Please?"

Huffing, Daryl cast a long, angry glance at Merle. contemplating whether-or-not he should listen to Carol. But in the end, he released his balled fist and dropped his arm. Though he did keep Merle pinned against the wall.

"Thanks, darling." Merle said to Carol.

"Don't thank me, don't even look at me right now." She glowered.

"You're the dumbasses who left the door open," Merle tried to reason. "I didn't know you'd have her in there trying to bump uglies."

Daryl growled again, like an angry tiger ready to devour it's pray. "Yeah, but you just stood there watching us after you walked in, you could've fucking turned around and left."

"I did not!" Merle hissed. "I mean, not for long." He muttered. "There were titties bouncing! I just got distracted for a second. Hell, her body ain't bad for a pregnant lady. I probably could've pulled my phone out and made a video and made some money. I'm sure there's some kinda pregnant lady fetish porn out there I could've made a killing off of."

Carol's eyes narrowed dangerously on the elder Dixon. Every instinct in her body was screaming at her to slap the taste out of his mouth. If he didn't own half of the house she rented, she just might have. "I should've let him hit you," she muttered, shooting him a disgusted look.

"You liked it," Merle winked at Carol.

Daryl sucked in a heavy breath to calm himself. He gave Merle one last, final shove against the wall then released him. As he let go, with an open fist, Daryl reared back and tapped Merle in the balls as hard as he could. The elder Dixon collapsed to the floor and began writhing in pain as he clutched his privates.

Coughing and sputtering, Merle whined, "The hell? Just because your balls are gonna hurt tonight don't mean mine gotta."

"You deserved it, asshole," Daryl muttered as he grabbed Carol's hand and began walking away. "And clean that shit up, before you pass out" he called out over his shoulder, referring to the bottle of Jim Bean he'd broken when he swatted it out of Merle's hand.

()()()()

They walked together not saying a word until they'd made their way through Carol's utility room and were standing in the living room of her side of the house. "I'm really sorry about all that," Daryl apologized again. "Merle can't handle liquor. He's fine with beer, but liquor makes him a real asshole. Prolly ain't even gonna remember all that shit tomorrow."

Carol shook her head, her hands wrapping protectively around her waist. "Daryl, really, it's not your fault. I'm not mad at you."

He gnawed at his bottom lip and his eyes flicked to the floor of her brown carpet, as if he didn't quite believe she wasn't upset with him."

She studied him for a moment, trying to figure out the best course of action. "Come here," she took a step forward and wrapped her arms around him, her head coming to a rest on his chest. "I promise, I'm not mad at you. There's no way you could've known Merle was gonna show up and barge in on that." The normal amount of tension she was used to experiencing from any sort of initial contact between them didn't come, instead, he wound his arms around her and rested his chin on her shoulder.

"Hope he gets herpes next time he gets an STD," Daryl muttered as they held each other.

Chuckling, Carol ran her hand up and down Daryl's back. "Maybe I'll find a contaminated prostitute to infect him." Daryl snorted at that. A moment later, she reluctantly released her hold on him. "It's late, I should probably get some sleep. Six a.m. comes early."

His eyes flicked from hers to the floor and his fingers started fumbling with the hem of his shirt. "Alright," he muttered. Cautiously, he caught her eye. He went to open his mouth to say something, but stopped himself before he could form the words. His eyes darted to the carpet again and he concentrated hard on an old stain in the corner.

He thought about telling her he'd never stayed in a girl's bed overnight before. Not just because he wanted to pick up where they left off, hell he probably couldn't have gotten it up if he tried, all he'd think about was that stupid look Merle had on his face when he'd walked in on them, but because over the weekend he'd gotten used to her sleeping next to him in that little bed and he'd found he kinda like having her next to him at night.

But he couldn't seem to find the courage for the words to form. And it was a good thing he couldn't, he thought to himself. People didn't sleep over at their girlfriend's place this soon into a relationship, did they?

After noticing the troubled look on his face, Carol took two steps forward until she was standing right in front of him. She placed her hands on either side of his hips, stood on tip toes, then leaned forward and kissed him. When she pulled away, she smiled at him, her hands still resting on his hips. "Don't look so disappointed. We'll have another chance, soon, and it'll be worth the wait. Trust me."

His look of disappointment transformed into one of curiosity and he titled his head. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," she grinned, then leaned up again, pressing her lips against his one final, lingering moment. She pulled away before she let herself get too carried away, bit down on her lower lip, and said, "Goodnight, Daryl, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Mmhmm," he nodded. "See you after work. 'Night, Carol."

()()()()

It was still dark when Carol awoke to a rapping on her door. Startled awake after being in a heavy sleep, it took her a few moments to realize the sound wasn't coming from her back door that she usually went in and out of, but from the door that separated her house from Daryl and Merle's, and could only be accessed by one of them.

Since it was Daryl who usually used the door, she naturally assumed it had to be him. She glanced at her clock, which read 5 a.m., then rolled out of bed, not bothering to fully dress, assuming it was only her new boyfriend. After all they'd done, it wasn't like there was a need for modesty, though she was sure her being braless in a baggy tank top and only sporting a pair of stretchy boy shorts would still leave him beet red.

As she walked to her door, she couldn't push away the nervous bubbling in the pit of her stomach. Why would Daryl be banging on her door so early? Was something wrong? Had Merle done or said something after she'd gone home last night? Or did he simply want to see her again, like he had last night? The latter thought left her chest feeling warm and tingly.

She unlocked her door and pulled the door open quickly, the words, "is everything okay," already leaving her lips, but they fell short when she noticed it wasn't Daryl on the other side of the door, instead it was Merle. Her eyes narrowed and an angry scowled formed. "What hell are you doing here?" She hissed, still mad with the elder Dixon for his interruption last night.

Merle stood there in front of her, his eyes scanning her up and down, noticing her bare legs and the way her nipples shown through the fabric of the tank. "Trying to give me another show, darling?" He grinned lasciviously.

A growl escaped Carol's throat and she moved to slam the door, but Merle was too fast and too strong. He caught it with one hand and it wouldn't budge She let go of the door and used her hands to cover herself best she could. Through clenched teeth, she spat, "What in the hell do you want, Merle? Huh! Because I can't seem to figure you out. One minute you accuse me of wanting to trick your brother into marriage and fatherhood, the next your tricking me into going away with him for the weekend, you call us and ask him if he's hit it yet, then you interrupt a very private moment between us and just laugh about it. Is my relationship with Daryl some big joke to you? I was ready to hug you after you gave him that push to help us get together this weekend but now I just wanna punch you in your big dumb face!"

The grin faded, and Merle suddenly grew serious. "How the hell was I supposed to know you two were in there fadoodling! Ain't like I ever busted up in Daryl's room and found a naked lady on top of him before," Merle snorted. "Hell, just wanted to talk to him. See how your weekend went." He wiggled his eyebrows. "Looks like it went well." 

"Was going well," she muttered resentfully. "Really well…Until you showed up and killed the mood…Do you have any idea how long it's been since…" She shook her head, realizing who she was talking to. "Never mind."

Merle's hand clasped over his mouth. "Oh shit. Was that? Was it gonna be the two of you's first…"

Carol just glared at him.

"Fuck, my bad." And this time, he sounded like he was somewhat offering a heartful apology. His version of one, at least.

"Whatever," she sighed. Peeking over her shoulder, she stole a glance at the clock on her living room wall. It was fifteen past now. "What do you want, Merle? Why are you here?"

"Got coffee and donuts in my kitchen. Wanted to see if you wanted to join me for breakfast. Have a little chat."

Skeptical, she rolled her eyes. "Yeah…right."

"Serious." He insisted. "Wanna talk to you and give you a peace offering. I got jelly filled ones, and ones with cream cheese." He grinned.

()()()

Carol wasn't sure why she followed Merle into his kitchen, but she did. Probably because of the way her mouth watered at the mention of cream cheese filled donuts. Damn pregnancy cravings.

Merle held out a cup of coffee to her. "Decaf. I was considerate and thought about the baby."

"Aren't you charming," she mocked, taking the cup of coffee from him and blowing at the steam billowing from the rim.

"Like to think so," he replied, taking a sip of his own. He pushed the box of donuts towards her, reaching in and grabbing a chocolate sprinkled one for himself.

"Daryl asleep?" She inquired, her eyes flicking to his closed bedroom door."

"Yep." He snickered. "Think the poor boy had a hard night,"

The chair Carol was sitting in squeaked as it moved away from the table. She went to stand, but Merle placed a hand on her forearm and stopped her. "I'll stop," he promised sincerely. "Really. I just…I wanna talk to you a minute."

"Then talk," she snapped, growing impatient.

Sipping his coffee carefully, he watched her. "So…you and Daryl…You two are a thing now…Right?"

Taking a moment to consider, Carol finally carefully replied, "What did he say we were?"

"Wouldn't say a damn thing to me after the way I walked in on y'all. Slammed his damn door in my face and the next thing I know the shower's running. I passed out before he got out."

Carol took a bite of her donut and swallowed. Pondering her answer to Merle, but finally deciding it was safe to say they were. It's what they'd agreed upon. It's what they said they wanted. "You're brother's my boyfriend." She cut her eyes at Merle. "Is that what you wanted to hear? Or did you just wanna find out what it was like to bang a pregnant chick."

"Little bit of both," he chuckled. She didn't seem amused, so he straightened his face. "You ever seen a stray dog?"

Carol's face scrunched in confusion. "Excuse me?"

"A stray dog. You ever seen one? He repeated.

"Ummm, yeah?"

He hummed. "Trailer park Daryl and I lived in once had a dump near the end of the road. There was an ugly ass dog that lived at that dump. People who lived in lot C moved off and left the mangy bastard. Left a big orange cat too. Mama, she used to make me and Daryl take the trash up there every evening. We'd always see that damn cat and dog. That dog, it was always watching us, every move we made, but it wouldn't ever let us get close. Any time you tried to get near it, son of a bitch would tuck tail and run. Didn't matter how often everybody threw him scraps, he wasn't getting near no one." Merle reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. He held the pack out to Carol and motioned to her belly. "You mind if I smoke?"

"Actually, I do," she replied honestly, her face still scrunched in confusion.

"Fair enough," he muttered, shoving the smokes back in his shirt. "Anyway, this damn dog…Daryl fed it every day. Every fucking day. Kept sneaking up to that dump after school, taking it some of our damn good food. Feeding it a brand-new can of spam or a pack of bologna, laying on his belly in that red ass clay, just talking to it as he'd pinch that meat up and toss it to him. And the dog, he'd wag his tail. Watch Daryl's every move. But he kept his distance. Wouldn't quite let him touch him. See, the other neighborhood kids, they'd throw rocks at it, yell it, shoot it with bb guns. Ain't no one ever treated that damn dog right." Merle placed his hand a few inches off the ground. "Not even when he was a little bitty pup. Shit, probably wasn't three months old when his owners moved off and left him to fend for himself. Damn dog couldn't let himself trust nobody."

Carol swallowed, listening intently to every word Merle said. She put her donut down and leaned forward, giving him her undivided attention as he continued.

"Days went on," Merle recalled, "hell, probably weeks, and the dog kept getting a little closer, and a little closer. And one day," He shook his head. "One damn day that dog let Daryl touch the tip of his nose. By the end of the week I come to take the trash out and the damn thing is rolling around in the dirt with him. Next thing I knew it followed him home and was sleeping on our back porch. See, all the little shit wanted all along was a home to call his own. Someone to feed him. Rub his belly now and then. A family of his own. He just didn't ever think he could ever have it. Didn't trust no one to give it to him, not without hurting him or leaving him alone again in the end. He just needed someone to take the time to show him they cared, to show him they'd be there for him. And after he knew that, hell that was the most loyal dog I ever seen in my life."

Wiping at the corner of her eyes, she cleared her throat. "I think I get what you're saying."

"Figured you would, being a teacher and all. You probably love metaphors and shit."

She chuckled. "I suppose I do. So…tell me, is this an old wives tale or did that really happen?"

"True story. Ask Daryl about Scout." He shook his head. "On second thought, never mind. Just know I ain't fucking with you. God's honest-truth."

"Thank you, Merle," she replied sincerely. "I'm glad you set this weekend up. I don't know if things would've happened like they did if you hadn't."

He grinned proudly. "Damn straight they wouldn't have. He was too skittish and you were too damn worried about making the wrong move and scaring him off."

"Be that as it may," she agreed, "I think it would've happened eventually. I just would've had to keep feeding him for a little while." Carol smiled at him warmly. "So…what about you? Is there someone out there that keeps feeding you?"

He snorted. "Remember that cat I told you about that lived at the dump with the dog? He wasn't like the dog. Didn't pay a damn bit of attention to nobody throwing out food. Didn't run when they tried to move towards him. Instead, that mean bastard would hiss at you and try to claw you up if you got too close. See, he wasn't like the dog. He didn't need nobody. That dog would've starved to death if Daryl hadn't fed him. If he hadn't of been there to take care of him. But the cat, he could find food on his own. Hell, he was better on his own."

"Even a cat can't heal his own wounds by licking them," she responded, and this time when she went to stand, Merle didn't stop her. "Thank you for breakfast." She rubbed her belly. "I think it really hit the spot for Sophia. She was bouncing around like a beach ball all night, still was when I woke up. But she's out like a light right now."

He held out his cup of coffee and toasted the air. "Yes ma'am." Grinning, he added with raised eyebrows "So…When you gonna rub his belly again?"

()()()

Daryl was dreaming. He knew he was, but damn if it wasn't an amazing dream.

In his dream, he was in his bed and Carol was next to him, gently suckling his neck. Her hands roaming on the inside of his shirt, then dipping just above the waist band of his boxers, tantalizing, tickling and teasing the skin just below his navel with her fingertips. He moaned, growling in pleasure. It was almost as if he could really feel her touching him. Fingertips, lips, and teeth feathering over his skin repeatedly in perfect rhythm.

"Fuck, he muttered.

As the words left his lips, the sound of her giggle filled his ears, her breath coming out hot and wet against his neck, and the next thing he knew, he could feel her stroking the length of him. The sensation felt all too real, nothing like any wet dream had ever felt like, and suddenly his eyes snapped open.

"Good-morning sleepy head," came the sound of Carol's voice, not soft and sweet as he was so used to hearing it be, but low, sultry, filled with hot desire for him.

Startled, his head snapped forward and collided with hers, as she'd been on her side, hovering over him, waiting to place a kiss to his chapped list. "Fuck," he muttered, though this time from pain instead of pleasure.

She groaned in pain beside him, her hand clutching her own forehead.

He blinked several times, processing that she was really here, in his bed with him, right next to him, and he'd just fucking head butted her! "Holy shit! Are you okay!" He rolled over, his voice and eyes filled with panic as he looked over her. "I'm sorry. I didn't…I didn't kniow you were really here…Thought…thought I was dreaming."

Between her groans of pain, she giggled. "I'm fine. But you've got a hard ass head."

His heart hammered in his chest as he stared down at her. His hand gently brushed under her chin and she smiled warmly up at him. Once he realized she was fine and he hadn't caused any real damage, he couldn't help but asking, "How the hell did you get in my room?"

"Merle," she replied.

"Merle," he responded, his brother's name coming out angry on his lips.

"It's a long story," told him. "I'll tell you all about it later."

"But…"

"Shhh," she said, her fingers brushing against his lips to shush him. "No questions right now."

He blinked again. "I gotta be fucking dreaming."

She shook her head at him. "You're not dreaming." Carefully, she leaned forward, pressing her lips against his, parting them ever so slightly, inviting him in. He took the bait, kissing her back slowly, then fervently. "See, not a dream." She muttered between kisses, the corner of her lip turning up as their tongues tangled together.

When he pulled away, he started deep into her eyes, his voice coming out husky, rough, and in pants, as he asked her, "What are you doing in here?"

She kissed him again, gently pushing him until he was lying flat on his back. She shrugged her shoulders innocently. "I figured that you'd never woken up with a girl in your bed before." Her teeth raked across her bottom lip as she moved to straddled him, and a whimper escaped the back of his throat. "Have you?" She teased.

He couldn't speak, he could only rapidly move his head to the side, indicating a no. He wasn't sure he was even awake enough to process what was happening, though his straining erection slipping out of his boxers was awake and at full attention.

"Is this okay?" She asked. "Me being in here, in your room like this?"

His head bobbed up and down, his hands coming to rest on her thighs, fingernails digging into her delicate ivory skin.

"Good," she replied, leaning forward, pressing their bodies together so she could move her lips against his. When they broke apart, she added, "Oh, and I didn't bother with that pesky bra this time."

His mouth gaped, and finally he found words, as he squeaked out, "Good God, woman." He shot up in bed, his hands gripping low around her waist as he slid them backwards, his back pressed against his metal headboard. But his bravado faded and his eyes flicked to his bedroom door as he remembered how mortified he'd been when his brother barged in last night.

Carol cupped his face and shook her head. "Your door's locked. I made sure myself. But even if it wasn't, Merle's gone. He won't be coming back this morning." He raised a curious brow. "Explain later," she muttered, he teeth nibbling his ear. "Right now, well, I was hoping we could pick up where we left off last night…If you wanna?"

"Wanna," he growled, his fingertips hooking the bottom of her tank top and his cracked lips finding their way to the smooth skin of her neck.

 **Pretty sure this is the longest chapter I've written in this story =0 Hope you guys enjoyed.**


	41. Chapter 41

Carol was lying on her side, her head propped in the palm of hand, staring intently at Daryl as he lay in a mirror position, staring back at her almost shyly.

She could still feel the beads of sweat pouring down her own forehead and she see could them dripping off his. As she sucked in desperate breaths of air, she smiled softly and reached forward with her free hand, stroking the side of his face gently with her thumb. Her actions caused the corner of his lip to turn up, but his face turned cherry red and he averted her gaze.

"Sorry I uh…" he cleared his throat, his eyes studying the fabric of his thick comforter as he pinched the material between his thumb and forefinger. "Didn't mean for it to be over so fast." Once he'd been inside of her, he was sure it hadn't taken a full five minutes for him to blow his load and he was left feeling embarrassed, especially since he probably wouldn't have lasted that long if he hadn't of taken care of himself in the shower after Merle interrupted them earlier.

Carol let a small chuckle escape her own lips and shook her head at him. "Daryl, it's fine. I promise. I don't think I could've gone any longer anyway." She was already winded by the time he finished and when they were done and the adrenaline started to wear off, she found her hips, pelvis, and thighs ached something awful. She cupped his face again, titling his chin and forcing him to meet her eyes. "Besides, you got me where I needed to be before you reached the finish line." She leaned in and kissed his lips softly. "I should be the one to be embarrassed, I got there a hell of a lot faster than you did."

He smirked. She was right, it hadn't taken long after they got started for her to clench around him and cry out his name as her fingernails rake over his sun kissed arms. "Was alright then?" He asked, his voice carrying a hint of uncertainty, though there was still a smile in his eyes. "Good for you?"

Humming, she nodded, giving him a grin. "It was good…You were good." After going without sex for all those months, Carol wasn't surprised it hadn't taken her long and she'd came as hard she did in such a short amount of time, though she didn't tell him that. Besides, even though the sex was different than it would've been had she not been pregnant, more inhibited, more careful and clumsier, she still enjoyed it very much and was eager to try it with him again. By his own admission, he may be inexperienced, but he wasn't bad at it, and he let her do what felt right for her, what was comfortable for her, and that had been a huge turn on in and of itself.

His eyes flitted down, then back up to hers, and there was that blush again, though this one carried proudness behind it.

"Was it for you?" she asked, her fingertips finding their way to his forearm, tickling his flesh. She could feel goosebumps rising as her fingertips traced over his muscle.

Curiously, he raised his brows at her.

"Did you like it," she clarified.

He made a noise somewhere between a hum and a snort, but his eager nodding indicated he'd enjoyed himself thoroughly, even if he wasn't quite able to put it into words.

Shrugging a shoulder, she continued, "You seemed to like it. It's just...It wasn't…too slow? Too careful?"

His arm tensed as her fingertips continued to lightly glide across his forearm, that tickling sensation continuing and growing stronger, until it reached that slightly uncomfortable level that such a touch could leave you feeling, it left all the hairs on his arm standing up. "Nah. Think it was just good just how it was." Hell, if things had been faster, more frantic, he probably wouldn't have lasted two minutes. "Liked it just fine." His face flushed as he muttered, "Hell, liked it a lot." In fact, he liked it well enough he was already wondering when they were gonna get to do it again, though he didn't dare speak that part out loud.

She felt a ping of relief at the genuine sound of sincerity behind his words, and an overall larger feeling of relief at his actions the last few days. He didn't mind her stretch marks, he didn't mind her growing belly her unborn daughter was hiding behind, and he hadn't minded that their first time wasn't romance novel worthy or even the kind of thing you might see in a porno. He was satisfied with who she was, what she was about to become, and what she had to offer him. A sudden warmth filled her chest at that realization and she suddenly felt overwhelmed with how much more that made her like him than she already did.

It was slightly terrifying and she didn't let herself dwell on it, instead, she re-directed her thoughts. She leaned forward, placing a chaste kiss on his lips, then smiled at him, wondering if that smile reflected exactly what she felt for him in that moment or if he could see it in her eyes. "Come on, lets grab something to eat before I have to head out. I can't be late on my first day."

()()()

They'd dressed and Daryl had followed her into the kitchen, finding she already had sausage biscuits waiting for the two of them in his microwave. They ate in comfortable silence, sharing bashful gazes and giddy smiles now and then as they ate. She left a sack lunch for him she'd also prepared on the counter and told him not to peak into the bag until he got to work because she'd left him a surprise. He'd raised an inquisitive brow at that but she'd pointed a stern finger at him and warned him not to look until lunch. He'd just nodded and said, "yes ma'am."

When it was time for her to leave to get ready he walked with her back to her side of the house and that same unfamiliar longing filled his gut as it had the day before. The one that told him he was going to miss her even though he'd just spent time with her and would likely see her again that evening.

Standing in front of her, he anxiously gnawed at his bottom lip. She was staring back at him and her intense gaze left him feeling like he had to say something. So, he did. "Reckon, uh, reckon I'll see you tonight then?" 

Grinning mischievously, she teased, "You want seconds already? You really must have liked it."

He blushed furiously and stammered out, "What! Nah! Stop!" When she raised her brows at him and folded her arms over her belly he thought he had offended her, so he muttered, "Mean, yeah…But…Ain't the only reason I was asking."

She giggled and slipped her index fingers through his belt loops, pulling him flush against her. "You're really cute when you're flustered, you know that."

The tips of his ears burned and he scowled at her, but when she leaned up on tip toes and caught his lips with hers he couldn't help but smirk. He responded to her, falling into the kiss, and his hands found their way to her sides. He jerked slightly when he felt the baby twitching underneath one of his palms, but he didn't pull away, though he did break the kiss. He found himself feeling extremely relieved the kid hadn't started bouncing around while they were going at it earlier. But then again, he probably wouldn't have noticed if she had because he'd been so lost in the moment. "Morning kid," he muttered, his palm gliding over the spot he'd just felt Sophia moving around at. "You're one hell of a sleeper, you know that? Think you can take another one of them long naps tonight?"

Carol snorted, her mouth gaping in disbelief, when she met his eyes he was giving her a half smirk. She rolled her eyes playfully at him and shook her head at his unexpected joke. "I've gotta go, Daryl. I'll see you this evening. Say around 6?"

"Mmhmm." He nodded. "I'll be here."

Her fingers released his belt loop and she kissed him on the cheek, telling him to, "have a good day."

His hands still on her sides, he replied with a, "yeah, you too," then gave her belly one last rub and a gentle push that earned his palm that faint thudded reaction he anticipated. He mumbled, almost beneath his breath, "same to you, Soph."

Life has been crazy lately. My job is insane during the summer so I legit usually come home, eat, shower, then fall asleep. Hopefully things are gonna get less intense soon and I'll have more time to update. I am gonna finish this one day. Really, I will.


	42. Chapter 42

Daryl had a certain lightness to himself that he didn't usually carry when he walked into work that day. A spring in his step, so to speak. He could feel it in his chest, in his bones, a genuine feeling of contentment and happiness. It was something he wasn't used to feeling. But it wasn't unwelcomed, in fact, he could get used it.

"Morning, Daryl." Hershel greeted his employee as he stepped out of his office.

Daryl nodded towards his boss as he clocked into work and muttered back a more cheerful than usual, "morning," in return.

The elder man smiled at the pep in the youngers voice, not missing the fact that he seemed to also be carrying a certain new swagger in his step. "I take it you and Carol had a good vacation?"

A goofy, lopsided grin etched Daryl's face without him even realizing it. One that was also tinged with pride. "Was good. Real good."

"Bet this morning was even better," Merle snickered, walking up behind his younger brother and his boss.

Daryl's grin instantly faded and he winced, while Hershel's brows rose at the elder Dixon's comment, causing Daryl's chest to tighten. Carol was, after all, his boss' niece, and he wasn't sure if the man would approve of their new relationship. He glowered at Merle, his fists instinctively balling, still furious about his brother's intrusion last night.

Before Daryl could get into a tussle with his older brother, Hershel interrupted, his voice stern. "Can I see you in my office, Daryl?"

He nodded in response, emitting a low growl directed at Merle before heading to Hershel's office. More snickers from Merle followed as the duo walked towards Hershel's office.

Once they reached their destination and the door clicked and he found himself alone with his employer, his eyes flicked to the cement floor and he studied every crack furiously. His thumb worked its way to his lips and his teeth worked at a perpetual hangnail as heavy silence settled between them.

"Anything you wanna tell me about this weekend?" Hershel inquired after a moment, breaking the unsettling silence once and for all.

Daryl's eyes flicked upwards, meeting Hershel's, then back down again. He shrugged his shoulders and grunted. As Hershel shot him a somewhat impatient gaze, he cleared his throat and finally mustered the courage to just spit it out. "Carol's ah, me and her, we…uh…she's my girlfriend." His eyes instantly feel to the floor after his admission.

More silence.

Only the steady tick, tick, tick of the clock on the wall could be heard.

And maybe even Daryl's own heartbeat as it shuddered in his chest.

He hadn't considered what would happen if Hershel didn't approve of this. If he thought that he wasn't good enough for his niece. In fact, he hadn't considered a whole hell of a lot when he jumped into the relationship over the weekend. He'd only considered how he felt about her. How he'd never felt that way about anyone before. And about how all he wanted to do was be around her as much as possible and be as close to her as possible. But what it the old man hated the idea of them together? What if he threatened his job over it?

When the silence became too much and when he finally chanced flicked his eyes back up, he found something he hadn't expected. Hershel was grinning at him. A full on, toothy grin.

Perplexed, Daryl's brows crinkled.

"Carol's your girlfriend, huh?" Hershel chuckled, once he saw he had the boy's attention.

He nodded, still confused, yet slightly relieved that his boss didn't seem angry.

"Congratulations, son," He replied, stepping forward and gently patting the younger man on the back.

Daryl flinched at contact, but tried to hide it. Hershel must have noticed though, because he offered an apologetic smile and stepped back. Silence settled once more, and this time Daryl broke it. "You're good with it? Me and Carol?"

Hershel smiled again. "I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

Daryl sighed. "Just…I don't know. She's your niece and she's got a kid on the way. Figured you wouldn't want her getting mixed up with me. That's all"

He frowned. "You're a good kid. Hard worker. Far as I know you're, not the kinda guy who'd treat a woman badly. Why wouldn't I want her with you?"

"Ain't exactly got a track record in treating women right. Never really been with one before," Daryl mumbled.

Even though Hershel had already assumed as much, he didn't say. Instead, he switched tactics. "As long as you know what not to do, I think you'll be just fine"

Daryl snorted. "Damn sure know that much."

"I'm happy for you, Daryl and I'm happy for my niece. I think this a good thing," he said sincerely. "I've got faith you'll do right by my girls, both of them."

The certainty in Hershel's voice, the sound of acceptance, the way the man seemed to have confidence in his ability to treat his niece and her unborn child right, it made his heart swell and he found himself filled with that unusual lightness once again. And before he knew it, that goofy, lopsided grin was back.

Daryl was in such an uncharacteristically good mood the rest of the day, he found it was even hard to stay angry with Merle for walking in on he and Carol the night before and then outing their relationship to Hershel first thing at work.

After all, even though his brother was a disgusting, loud-mouth perv, Daryl supposed he did have him to thank for helping he and Carol officially get together over hthe weekend. Plus, Merle had given them the house to themselves this morning to make up for barging in and ruing the moment last night.

"So," Merle inquired mischievously, as the brother's made their way out of work that evening, "How was she?"

Daryl glared at his brother but didn't say anything.

"Was it weird? Did you poke the kid in the head?" Merle continued to tease, snickering to himself as he spoke.

Growling, Daryl muttered, "Shut the fuck up."

"Come on, I wanna know!" He whined. "I'm being serious. Ain't never fucked a pregnant bitch before.

Shaking his head, he looked curiously out of the corner of his eyes at his brother's expression. Merle had always loved to brag about his conquests, making sure to include detail every explicit detail of the encounters and the women.

And while Daryl wasn't going to do that, he wasn't going to disrespect Carol like that, he didn't want his brother making scenarios up in his own head of what it might have been like for the two of them and sharing said made up scenarios with people. Because God only knew how Merle loved to paint his own pictures and share them with the world with that big damn mouth of his.

And though he might not admit it, being with Carol had instilled a certain confidence in him that he hadn't retained before, and maybe, just maybe, he felt a cockier than normal.

"Wasn't nothing weird about it," he replied matter of factly. "Ain't even noticed she had a kid in there."

Merle grinned and nudged Daryl's shoulder with his own. "She rode you good then?" He wiggled his eyebrows. "She a good teacher, little brother?"

Daryl's eyes narrowed dangerously, but he couldn't hold the look for long. "Ain't saying shit else," he replied firmly, though the twitch of his lips gave his answer away.

"Good for you, little brother," Merle said sincerely. He stopped walking, placing a hand in front of Daryl to stop his footsteps as well. He glanced around and saw several co-workers, so he lowered his voice and leaned in to whisper in Daryl's ear for what he was about to say next. "Trust me," he insisted as he stepped away and he started walking again. "Try it like that next time."

Daryl, however, didn't resume walking, he stood frozen in place, an intrigued look on his face. When his older brother noticed he wasn't matching his pace he turned and looked at him and Daryl said, "And that's alright? For her and the kid? I mean…It ain't gonna…"

Before Merle could respond, Rick Grimes pulled up in his deputy sheriff's car. He rolled his window down as he slowed to a stop. "What's going on Dixon's?" He tipped his hat at the brothers.

Merle smirked and looked between Rick and Daryl, his eyes finally settling on Daryl. "Hell, I don't know. Told you little brother, I ain't never fucked a pregnant bitch before. Bet officer friendly here knows, though, seeing as how he's got a little experience in the area. Why don't you ask him to be sure?"

Rick almost choked on air at Merle's words and every visible inch of Daryl's body grew bright red.

 **One more chapter and I'm gonna do a slight time jump. I'm gonna try and updated again before Monday. I'm off work until Tuesday, so hopefully I'll get around to it. Thanks to those of you still into this.**


	43. Chapter 43

That same morning, on the other side of town at the local High School, Carol found herself just as giddy as Daryl had been, if not more.

Not only had she just started a new and exciting journey with Daryl, but she was about to start a new and exciting journey as a tenth-grade teacher in a few days. And that morning embarked her on the path to preparation for that new journey. And much like the journey she'd just begun with Daryl, this one left her feeling that slight trepidation of the unknown, yet the lingering sensation that she was on the cusp of something completely amazing and life changing.

And the latter feelings far outweighed the former, especially after the high she was still carrying after her morning with Daryl. So, she walked into the school that morning with a confidence she hadn't carried since before she found out she was pregnant, a confidence that she carried in her heart telling her she and her daughter were going to be just fine. And that maybe, just maybe, her world being turned upside down the day that she found out she was pregnant and then Ed subsequently walking out on her and the baby, maybe it had been the best thing for her.

Her unborn daughter was thriving and growing more and more at each check-up. She was back in a familiar town where she grew up, with family that loved her and she knew would support her, she'd already found new friends in Rick and Lori, and she'd somehow ended up with an incredibly awkward, but surprisingly sweet and wonderful boyfriend who seemed more than okay with her impending child.

In fact, as strange as it may sound, she was starting to think he and the baby were already forming some kind of bond. Sophia already seemed to respond to his voice and his touch more than she did anyone else Carol was around, though she hadn't mentioned that little observation to Daryl just yet.

And on top of all the other positives that seemed to be going on in Carol's life, she already felt comfortable in her new school, with the administration and staff anyway, which was a huge advantage. A large part of that comfortability rested in the fact that the assistant principal, who helped her land her new job had been her best from middle school all the way up until she graduated high school.

"I'm so glad you're here!" The assistant principal squealed, once everyone mulled out of the morning meeting in the principal's office.

Carol couldn't help the joyous chuckle that echoed out of her as her old friend pulled her in for an embrace. She returned the it, rocking back and forth as she wrapped her arms around the blond woman, then teased, "You realize I moved back to town in June, right? You could've come to visit me at some point if you missed me this much?"

"Stop!" She protested. "I've had a lot going on. You know I love you and I've missed you like hell since high school."

Carol chuckled as her old friend, and new boss, let her go and playfully smacked at the air in mock offense. "Seriously, Andrea, where have you been all summer?" She couldn't help but ask. They honestly hadn't had a chance to get together since Carol moved home because Andrea had been on the go so much or was constantly tied up with something and couldn't seem to get away.

Andrea shrugged a shoulder nonchalantly. "Here and there. My parents moved to Florida. Retirement community. Dad plays golf and mom sips mimosas on the beach all day." She paused, humming thoughtfully. She held her hand up, pulling one finger down, then another as she continued her list. "Then there was an administrative training session in Stone Mountain that lasted a week."

"Ugh. Stone Mountain." Carol groaned. "I hate that place."

"Only you'd get knocked up at a teaching convention." Andrea shook her head. "And to think, they called me the slut in high school."

"Shush it!"

Andrea roared, then walked across the room, taking a seat at the head of the large conference table. She leaned back in the creaky chair and plopped her feet on top of the table. "Where was I? Oh, yeah! Then I went to visit Amy for a few weeks. She was doing a semester abroad in Switzerland. Can you believe it? My baby sister living out of the country…."

Carol's brows quirked up at that bit of information, she folded her across her round belly and stared intently. Andrea didn't seem to notice the pique in interest her friend was displaying.

"Let's see," she continued, "I actually just got back from the mountains late last night. It was kinda a last-minute trip."

That's all it took for Carol to finish connecting the dots, and without realizing it, she screeched, "You're fucking Merle Dixon! You're Merle's favorite fuck buddy!"

"CAROL!" Andrea hissed, darting out her reclined position and slamming the door of the conference room so no one could hear their conversation.

"Sorry!" She muttered, shushing her voice to just below a whisper. "It's just…I…I had no idea…Merle? Really? Merle Dixon…I mean…Merle!"

Andrea's head lowered, almost shamefully. Her eyes flitted upwards and she studied Carol. She seemed to be preparing some type of defense, or at least some sort of explanation, but then she jumped up and down and pointed an accusing finger. "You have a hickey on your neck! You got laid!"

"I…I…" Carol stammered, her hand protectively going to the left side of her neck as memories of this morning with Daryl flooded her mind.

"Other side," Andrea snorted, shooting an accusing look at her friend. "So, since baby daddy isn't in the picture, who's the lucky guy?" Carol looked like a deer caught in the headlights, and Andrea's face instantly paled. "Tell me it's not Merle. Carol Anne, please tell me we're not screwing the same guy!"

"NO! God no!" Her nose crinkled in disgust. "A thousand times no!" She winced at her words when she saw the hint of indignation in Andrea's eyes. "Sorry," she hastened. I didn't mean it like that. It's just…He's very..." She pursed her lips, searching for the least offensive way to describe Merle."

"He's an asshole," Andrea cut in for her. "An honoree, arrogant, selfish, lazy, bastard." Shrugging a shoulder and smirking lightly, "but he's charming in his own way and he's damn good in bed."

This earned a snort from Carol.

"So," she probed. "You know who I'm boning, tell me who you're getting it on with?"

Carol shook her head from side to side in disbelief. "He didn't tell you?"

Andrea's eyes widened in suspense "Who? Tell me what?"

"Merle?"

"I thought you weren't screwing Merle!"

"I'm not screwing Merle!" She shouted.

Realization seemed to finally dawn on Andrea and her hand clasped over her mouth as she gasped, "Daryl Oh my God! Daryl! Really!"

This time Carol was the one left sounding irritated. She found she didn't like the idea that someone might have something negative to say about her new boyfriend one bit. "What's wrong with Daryl?"

Throwing her hands up in a peace offering, Andrea was sure to assure her, "Nothing. Nothing at all. He's a good kid. I'm just surprised. That's all."

"He's not a kid. He's only a year younger than us." Carol countered.

"I know," she smiled reassuringly and patted Carol's shoulder. "I guess sometimes he just seems a bit…boyish…in his own way."

"Yeah," Carol returned a gentle smile. "I guess he does."

"How'd you seduce him, hot mama?" She questioned earnestly. "He's a pretty hard catch from what I hear. Really skittish with women. Hell, who am I kidding, he's skittish in general."

"I didn't seduce him," she blushed, though she couldn't help how her lips twitched. "We're together. He's my boyfriend."

Andrea's brows rose so high they disappeared beneath her hairline. "Boyfriend? Daryl Dixon has a girlfriend? Let me get this straight? Not only did you convince the shyest man I've ever met to sleep with you, while you're about to pop a baby out none the less, but you also managed to get him to be your boyfriend?"

Carol just rolled her eyes at Andrea's over dramatic tone and expression. "What can I say?" She teased, waiving her hand up and down her body like she was a delicious treat. "How could he resist?"

Andrea didn't continue the joke, instead she straightened, then smiled sincerely. "No way he could. You look beautiful, Carol. You're glowing."

"Pffft. That's what people say when they politely want to point out the fact it looks like I'm carrying a watermelon under my shirt."

"More like a cantaloupe," Andrea interjected. Carol scowled, but then giggled. Andrea shared the laugh, then her tone grew serious. "Really, though, honey you look great. You have a glow about you, and I don't just mean the one your baby girl is putting off. You look happy. _Really_ happy. I can see it in your eyes. I haven't seen that look in a long time. Not since…" Andrea trailed off, not wanting to bring up the passing of Carol's mother, though a light had seemed to dim for her friend ever since she lost her.

Carol swallowed, biting back the surge of emotion that swelled in her chest. She knew what Andrea was going to say. Though they only got together once or twice every year or two since going their separate ways for college, Andrea had still been there for her when her mother had passed away, she knew that her friend knew what an impact the loss on her mother had left on her. "I am happy," Carol managed to get out, and with much less strain that she'd anticipated. "I like Daryl a lot. I wasn't expecting to meet someone when I moved here, I wasn't expecting something like this to happen so fast, and especially not with my landlord, but it did. And I'm glad it did." She laughed ironically. "I suppose I have Merle to thank for it?"

"Merle?" Andrea asked confused.

Carol recounted how Merle schemed to get them together and how their weekend went.

"I knew that bastard didn't just wanna go away with me for the weekend!" Andrea snarled when Carol was done talking.

"I didn't mean to cheapen your weekend." Carol offered apologetically. "I figured he would've told you about his plan."

"Merle doesn't talk to me, sweetie," Andrea waved her off. "Merle doesn't talk much at all. About important stuff, anyway. He talks out of his ass all the time. But when it comes to what he's thinking or what he's feeling, only Merle knows that." She grew quiet a moment. "It's funny, the man can get butt naked at the drop of the hat and be ready to put his penis inside of you, but he can't connect with you emotionally. Not really. He can't get naked that way. Can't be vulnerable with you. I think maybe the brother's reversed roles with that one."

"I don't think Daryl's all that good at the last part either," Carol admitted, "But he's trying with me. He's getting there…slowly."

After Merle outed his relationship with Carol to Rick, the deputy sheriff had all but forced him into that damn Charger of his to interrogate him about it and Daryl had practically been growling the whole way.

"The hell you so damn nosey for!" Daryl barked, as Rick asked him for the millionth time how he and Carol had ended up hooking up.

"We're best friends!" Rick whined. "You're supposed to tell me this kinda stuff."

"The hell are we, fourth grade girls?" Daryl huffed, as Rick drove around the block for the third time.

"Come on, I tell you everything about me and Lori!" Rick groaned.

"Ain't like I ask you to!" He grudgingly mumbled.

"I mean, it's not every day you go hooking up with girls. Damn sure not a pregnant one that's your tenant," Rick continued, as if he didn't hear what Daryl just said.

Daryl growled again, his eyes narrowing to slits as he stared at his friend. Or maybe former friend if he didn't shut the fuck up. "Ain't gotta say that shit like I took advantage of her or nothing. Ain't like that. Ain't just fucking her, she's my girlfriend."

Rick slammed on breaks, the car coming to a screeching halt. A car that had been following behind them slammed on their breaks in response and then laid on the horn. Rick pulled his squad car over to the shoulder and put it in park, staring at Daryl as if he'd just seen a ghost. "You asked her out?" He said in almost disbelief. "This is serious between you two?"

Daryl shifted in his seat uncomfortably. The way that Rick said the word serious almost seemed to add a certain weight to their relationship that he hadn't considered, though he himself knew that the fact that she was _actually_ his girlfriend made the matter a serious one to being with.

"It ain't a fucking joke if that's what you think," Daryl grumbled, still scowling at Rick. He wasn't nervous about telling his best friend about Carol the same way he'd been with Hershel or would be when Maggie or someone else in her family found out. He was more annoyed because he thought Rick was going to give him a hard time about it the same way Merle did, and he didn't want Rick stirring up any insecurities about his own capabilities as a boyfriend.

Rick cleared his throat. "I didn't say it was. I know you like her. Pretty much known that since you asked us to bring dinner over for her."

"The hell didn't you say something," Daryl barked. Had everyone known he liked her except for him until it was basically pointed out to him.

"Figured you'd freak out," Rick admitted. "I mean, hell Daryl, I know how you are. I know that a girlfriend's the last thing you were looking for."

Daryl hummed. He reached into into his pocket and pulled out his smokes. Lighting one in the car and not bothering to let the windows down.

"I'm not supposed to smoke in here, asshole."

Ignoring the comment, he blew a smoke ring in Rick's face. "You gonna give me shit?" Daryl asked, the end of the cigarette bobbing up and down on his lips.

Rick shook his head, hands sliding over the steering wheel. "Nah, man. I won't do that. Not yet anyway."  
He smirked. "Hell, I mean, I'm happy for you. Carol's nice. Think she might even be good for you."

Daryl nodded but didn't respond. Relieved Rick wasn't going to give him a hard time.

Things were silent as Daryl finished his cigarette. When he'd stubbed it out, Rick finally turned to him. "Can I ask you one thing?"

He shrugged. "Long as it ain't got nothing to do with asking me if the sex was weird."

"Nah man," Rick chuckled. "You know I already know how it is. Pregnant girlfriend." Rick drummed his fingers on the steering column. "Carol being pregnant…Does it…does it bother you any?"

He rose a brow. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know…I just…I mean she's gonna have a kid in a few months."

"Yeah…So is Lori?"

"Yeah…But Lori's having _my_ kid."

The impact of that statement had a strange effect on Daryl. His chest seemed to twist in a way he couldn't explain. Not the way Carol made it tighten, instead this was more like an ache. One he'd never experienced before. He had to swallow to drive the foreign sensation away. "What's your point?"

"I don't know man, I guess I don't really have one. Just talking out of my ass, really. I just know the idea of Carl scared me shitless when I first found out, and he was my kid. I suppose for a second I was just wondering how I'd feel if I met Lori and she was already pregnant with him. Just guess I wanna make sure you're okay with it. It's a big thing, never having a girlfriend and then bam!" Rick's hand slapped together. "The one you got is about to give you an instant family. You know?"

Maybe the idea of Carol being pregnant had bothered him at first. Before he even knew he liked her. He knew it made him uncomfortable at first. Her pregnancy. But now he thought that maybe a part of that was because he thought the kid meant he couldn't have her. And now he knew that wasn't true. He could have her, he did have her, he just got to have the kid too.

Not that it was gonna be his kid or anything. But it was gonna be in his life. It was gonna be around. He knew that, and knowing that didn't seem to bother him at all.

"Don't bother me none," he finally admitted with full honesty. "Kid ain't asked to be here. Ain't asked for her dad to walk out. Carol ain't asked to raise her alone, either." In Daryl's opinion, she may have gotten pregnant unintentionally and not been as careful as she should have, but the bastard that walked out was just as guilty as she was and he had just as much responsibility to stick around and do right as Carol did. "Fucking sucks growing up without an old man," he continued. "Sophia deserves someone decent in her life. Someone who's gonna treat her mama right, treat her right, do the shit a man is supposed to do." He shrugged. "I don't know what the fuck I'm doing here, Rick. In way over my head with all this. But shit, I know one thing, I know what not to do, and that's a damn good start."


	44. Chapter 44

"So, you two really made it a week, huh?" Rick chuckled, pausing from his hammering to wipe his sweat covered brow and take a sip of his now lukewarm beer.

Daryl peered up at his friend and scowled, not finding the humor in his friend's teasing about being surprised he and Carol had officially been together for a week now.

"I mean, "Rick continued his banter, "I was surprised as hell when you made it past 72 hours, let alone an entire week."

The sound of Daryl's hammer slamming into the wood right next to Rick's hand vibrated around the duo. Rick stilled and Daryl growled out, "Why don't you shut the fuck up and get back to work so I ain't gotta do it all? Ain't my fiancé and kid we're building shit for over here." Not that he had a fiancé and kid to be building anything for. Carol wasn't his fiancé and Sophia wasn't his daughter but he still would've enlisted Rick's help to build something for the kid if Carol asked him the same way Lori had asked Rick to make something for Carl. That's what a good boyfriend would do, and he was hell bent on being a good boyfriend, even if he still wasn't sure he knew exactly how to do that.

Rick straightened and set his beer down, holding his hands up to his friend in surrender. "I was just busting your balls, brother. Relax. Laugh a little. It's good for you. Damn, I thought getting laid would make you more zen."

He growled again, shooting angry daggers towards Rick. He pushed himself off the ground, dusted his hands off, and walked towards the cooler on Rick's back porch and grabbed an ice-cold beer out of the cooler. When the refreshingly cool liquid touched his lips, he guzzled down half the bottle in one sip.

Rick carefully approached his friend. "Are you alright? You seem a little tightly wound. Even for you."

Shrugging a shoulder, Daryl continued to chug the rest of the beer. When he was finished, he let out a loud belch and wiped his mouth. "Guess I just ain't looking forward to tonight. That's all."

"Tonight?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "Carol wants me to go have dinner with her folks."

"Her folks?" Rick's brow crinkled. "I thought her parents were dead."

"They are. Meant Hershel and them. They're her people. Only people she's got left to call family. Same difference, I reckon. Plus, Hershel was like a dad to her after her old man passed."

"Well, hell Daryl, you know Hershel. Why's eating at his place such a big deal?"

"It aint that," he sighed agitatedly. "Just…It ain't just Hershel. It's Annette too. And Shawn and his new girlfriend. Maggie and Glenn. The youngest one and whoever the hell she's dating this week. Big family affair. And I'm the main damn attraction." His head fell slightly with his final words. "Like they gotta see if I'm good enough for Carol or some shit."

"Come on, Hershel likes you. I doubt it's like that. I mean, he's cool with you being Carol, isn't he?"

Yeah. Don't mean the rest of them are though. And if he invites me over and I do something wrong, something I shouldn't, a boyfriend ain't supposed to, he might not be either."

"If you're that worried about it, why don't you just tell Carol you don't wanna go?"

Daryl stared at Rick dumbfounded. "You of all people are telling me to tell my new girlfriend I don't wanna go eat with her family?"

"Yeah, so?" Rick chuckled.

Daryl nodded to the elaborate homemade play set he and Rick had been working all morning while Carol and Lori were out having a girl's day. "You're building your son, _who ain't even born yet_ , a fucking play house he can't even use until he's like 2 because you ain't the got the balls to tell your woman that he don't need it right now."

"Happy wife, happy life," Rick muttered, grabbing himself a fresh beer from the cooler.

Daryl snorted. "When the hell is she happy?"

Rick choked on his beer and when he gathered his breath he couldn't help but laughed himself. "Hopefully when she gets home and sees all the damn work I put into this."

Daryl smirked and things were silent for a beat.

"Hey, seriously," Rick's voice grew soft and comforting, like he was trying to assure a small child of their ability to accomplish a task, "You're making the right call by going with her. And you're overthinking it way too damn much. Glenn's eaten pizza at your place a million times. Hershel eats lunch with you at work. You and Carol eat together almost every night. It's just a normal day. Just a normal meal, except a few more people than you're used to. Families do stuff like this all the time. Especially close-knit families like Hershel's. It's not just because you're with Carol and they wanna dissect everything about you."

Even though Daryl's eyes squinted, like he was trying to make light of Rick's words, his tense posture seemed to ease, though he wasn't going to let Rick know his words made that much of an impact. "You trying to be Dr. Phil or something?"

"I'm trying to be whoever the hell I need to be so your ass will quit guzzling beer and get back to work so Lori might actually like me tonight. Now come on," Rick nodded and took a step towards the playground in progress, "Let's get this shit done so my son and your girlfriend's kid can play on it in two years."

Daryl swallowed the last sip of beer and followed Rick. A strange sensation settling in the pit of his stomach at Rick's words. The thought of Carol and Sophia being around and in his life two years from now and coming to Rick's for play dates was a lot for his mind to process being that their relationship was still so new and he was so used to being alone. But even though the thought itself was a tad bit overwhelming, he couldn't help the image that flooded his mind.

An image of him and Rick out by the grill cooking up chicken, steak, onions, corn on the cobb, and potatoes. Carol and Lori were swinging the kids back and forth. Carol looking over her shoulder smiling at him, as a little girl, whose face he couldn't quite make out, squealed with delight and waved at him happily.

And that image, well, it was probably the most damn domestic image he'd ever created in his head for himself in his entire life. But it left him feeling with that same warm, tight, tingling feeling Carol's presence seemed to cause within him.

 **Short update. I may squeeze out another tomorrow. No promises because I'm getting my oldest niece tomorrow and am planning to teach her how to drive. So…my nerves may be shot afterwards. But I'll try. I have a future chapter almost finished and hope to do at least two more posts between now and then to flesh things out a little better. I hope to get to the actual birth of Sophia sooner rather than later. We are way more chapters into this than I expected to be at this point. Thanks to those of you still following this. I suck at updating. Blame my boss and my muse.**


	45. Chapter 45

Carol can feel the light tremble of Daryl's hand against hers as they walk together towards her uncle Hershel's farmhouse.

It leaves her feeling equally flattered and guilty.

She knows deep down he didn't want to come this family dinner. That being in the crowded presence of her entire remaining family was completely overwhelming for him. She hates that extending the invitation has made him this uncomfortable. For a fleeting moment, she even regrets asking him to come.

But at the same time, she adores the fact that he decided to anyway. That being there, being with her, being there for her, that it was more important to him than those uncomfortable feelings. He was trying. And he was trying for her. For them.

Her emotions overwhelm her and she stops in front before ascending the steps to the centuries old home members of her family have occupied for generations. She stares up at Daryl, reaching out gently to brush his shaggy bangs out of his face so she can look into his gorgeous blue eyes. The corner of her lip twitches when his eyes instinctively flick to his boots, he still hasn't quite mastered the art of eye contact.

"Hey," she says, her voice hoarse with emotion, as her hand trails down his cheek.

His ears perk up at the soft sound of her voice, and he can hear the hidden urgency. His eyes slowly flit upwards until they are level with hers and his brows raise with curiosity and concern, though he is then met with a fond smile and a wobbly, tip-toed peck on the cheek. One that even after a week of being with her still makes his cheeks burn.

Daryl's hands have landed on her hips, a seemingly instinctive gesture he's perfected anytime he she's in a position to lose her footing, and that twitch of her lip returns. There's already a protectiveness there for her, for her unborn child. One she cherishes, and she has to bite the inside of her lip to push back a well of tears she feels threatening to form.

The farther along she gets with this pregnancy, the more her hormones seems to be taking over. It's as if she's on a rollercoaster.

Instead of crying, though, she grins endearingly at the man before her, and tells him, "It means a lot to me that you came tonight."

"Pffft," he dimisses her thanks. "Ain't nothing."

"It is," she tries to reassert. "I know you don't want to be here." His eyes widen in horror, as if she's just exposed some horrible secret, and she bites back a laugh as his panic. "I know you don't like crowds."

He clears his throat, the tip of his boot digging into the dusty ground. "Just ain't used to it." He mutters. And she doesn't expect him to elaborate further, but he surprises her when he does. "Ain't…Ain't never really had no family meals before." He chuckles to himself. "Damn sure ain't used to being in a room full of people that actually like each other."

She reaches out and grasps his hand again, which he'd dropped when he'd reached out to steady her. With a gentle, reassuring squeeze, she says, "Well you're gonna have to get used to it now that, you know."

"Used to what?" He questions.

"Being in a room full of people that like eachother"

He arches a brow. Silently praying she isn't going to make family meals a weekly occurrence.

"Because I kinda like you," she smirks playfully. "In fact, I kinda like you a lot…And Sophia," she reaches out to grab his free hand and places it over her belly and the unborn child squirms and wiggles inside of her at the sudden contact. "Well, I think she kinda likes you a lot too."

His thumb moves in circles over the fabric of her shirt where the child is fluttering beneath his palm. He clears his throat to push the giant ball that's trying to form there away, flicks his eyes to his boots, and shyly mutters, "Kinda like y'all a lot too,"

 **Here's an update. I know the story is moving slow and is probably sickeningly sweet at this point. But sometimes I just need sunshine and rainbows, you know. Anyway, next update will hopefully be this week with another following the next as I'm trying to write chapters ahead of time these days before posting so it won't be so long in between. Much love and happy thoughts to you all.**


	46. Chapter 46

Daryl couldn't help it. He sure wished the hell he could, but he couldn't. No matter how hard he tried to steady his hand, the damn thing wouldn't stop trembling each time he tried to shovel a spoonful of Annette's homemade chicken pot pie into his mouth. Glenn and Shawn snickered the first few times they noticed it, but Maggie gave Glenn a swift, scolding elbow to the side as punishment and Annette shot Shawn the terrifying glare only a mother could give that still engrained fear into her grown son and neither of them dared to bring any attention to the matter again.

Eventually though, Daryl got tired of it and how stupid he was sure it must've made him look and gave up eating altogether.

He'd always hated how socially awkward he was, and he hated it even more right then, unable to eat a meal in front of his girlfriend's family without looking like a complete dumbass. He tried to tell himself it was irrational. That he'd shared pizza with Glenn a million times on his own couch. That he'd eaten over at Lori and Rick's plenty times and hadn't had this issue. Hell, he ate at work with Hershel almost every day. This shouldn't have been a big deal to him.

Except it was.

He couldn't remember ever having a meal like this in his family. A room full of people who were related to one another, talking, laughing, sharing bits about their day or week, giving each other the run down on events of their everyday lives and basking in joy and pride over individual achievements.

It was nothing like that is his house growing up. Hell, most the time his mama or one of his step-dads were sitting in front of the TV eating a hungry man and yelling from the couch at him or Merle to shut the hell up so they could listen to Jerry Springer or whatever the hell soap opera was on.

But here he was with Carol's family, in a room full of people who loved and cherished one another, and it was just so strange an unfamiliar to him to be in that environment. He didn't exactly feel like he belonged in that environment and he couldn't help but feel out of place.

Not to mention the fact that he and Carol were sort of the guests of honor for this meal and that left him feeling like the spot light was on them, that definitely didn't help. He couldn't help but wonder if they knew he didn't belong on a situation like this.

Adding that to his previous worries that they already feared he didn't belong with Carol or shouldn't be with her because he hadn't had a girlfriend before and she was pregnant, well he was pretty sure there was no way in hell he was gonna be able to get comfortable and relax.

"Did you bring any pictures of your latest sonogram?" Annette asked, which finally broke Daryl out of his deep thoughts. He turned his focus on his girlfriend, who was beaming as she reached under the table and retrieved the latest photo out of her purse and passed it around the table to her family.

"She's sucking her thumb in most of them." Carol chuckled lightly, "Except the last one, I think she was doing gymnastics in that one. I just hope she grows out of putting everything on display once she comes out." Commenting on the fact that her daughter appeared to be doing a hand stand or summer sault of sorts, her legs wide open and spread far apart.

"Oh's and aw's filled the room as the picture was passed from person to person. And then Maggie asked, "Does she flip around like that a lot?"

Carol chuckled again. "All the time." She nudged Daryl gently and gave him an adoring smile. "Especially when this one here riles her up."

"I don't rile her up!" He defended. "Hell, half the time the kid starts it. She's always kicking at my hand in the morning and waking me up." He blushed when raised eyebrows appeared around the table and he realized he'd admitted in front of her aunt and uncle that he'd been waking up with Carol. But before he could be too humiliated about his admission, Carol came back with, "As soon as she moves the slightest bit I swear you have her running from one end of my uterus to the other."

Everyone chuckled.

"I'm serious!' Carol insisted, as though it was no joking matter. She reached into her purse again, this time pulling out her cell phone and bringing up a video from the other night. She and Daryl were laying in her bed, and he was lightly dragging the tips of his fingers over her exposed belly. With every feather light touch he'd made, a bulge could be seen appearing and disappearing as it moved from left to right, trying to follow the pattern his fingers made. Daryl was visible in the video grinning and teasing, "Hope you weren't trying to sleep, being woke up sucks, don't it?" and later adding, "You just ain't fast enough to catch me, Soph. You're gonna have to swim around quicker than that to kick me while I'm awake."

"Kids pretty damn quick," Daryl chuckled, forgetting his previous anxieties. "Kicked the hell out of my finger right after Carol stopped recording." He smirked at Carol mischievously, "She's almost as mean as her mama."

Conversation of Sophia and Carol's pregnancy dominated the table for a while, then Carol talked about her students and the new school year for a while. Daryl talked some more about his interactions with the unborn Sophia, he talked a little bit about the weekend he and Carol got together and things they did, he even brought up how he helped Rick build a playhouse for his unborn son recently.

Eventually Hershel took the time to bring work up and brag on Daryl a bit for something he'd done the day before. Glenn talked about his promotion to assistant manager at the pizza place, Shawn and his new girlfriend talked about how they met, Beth complained about some girls at school who were trying to steal her boyfriend, and Annette talked about a fund raiser she was heading up at church.

Before Daryl realized it, he was completely relaxed and began greedily shoveling food into his mouth. Carol must have been watching him and noticed his spoon was no longer shaking in his hand, because she gently squeezed his thigh under the table and grinned at him. He grinned back and gave her a small nod.

It was strange to him, to realize that he sort-of liked the little family meal after all. It was nice, being surrounded by people who genuinely cared for one another and wanted to hear about each other's day.

And even when Beth and her boyfriend got up to leave the table, so they could go study, Daryl could have used it as an opportunity to escape, but he didn't. Instead, he willingly stood up and followed Carol and the rest of the family into the living room to watch the football game Hershel had recorded. His arm instinctively going around her as the two sat shoulder to shoulder on Hershel's love seat, her head falling on his chest, exhausted from the day and her belly full of food.

Hershel, who was sitting in his recliner, watched the couple intently, then glanced over at his wife, who was sitting on the couch with Maggie and Glenn, and gave her most subtle mile and wink he could. She let her eyes fall on the couple as well and returned his gesture to him.


	47. Chapter 47

"Would you stop that, woman!" He scolded, though he couldn't hide the snicker in his voice.

"Stop what?" Carol innocently asked with a mischievous grin. Daryl narrowed his eyes on her, but she wasn't deterred by his demeanor. "Oh, you mean this?" Once again, she ran the tips of her toes up and down his bare legs, causing him to squirm and whimper.

"Fucking stop!" He whined as she continued to torture him. "Shit tickles." He tried to squirm away from her, but it was no use. She was latched on to his bicep and he couldn't get away. Not that he really wanted to, if he was being honest with himself.

Daryl was lying on his back in her bed and she was lying on her side curled up next to him with both of her arms wrapped securely around one of his biceps. Her belly, which seemed to be growing more and more by the second now, pressed firmly into his side. This seemed to be Carol's favorite position when they were lying in bed together. Desperately clinging to his arm like it was some sort of security blanket, using his chest as if it was some type of plush pillow, possessively wrapping both of her legs around one of his like his leg was some sort of life preserver.

Three months ago, the idea of being put in a such a position, in such close-proximity with another person, it would've set his skin afire. But not now. Not with her. It wasn't unpleasant or awkward. Instead, he found it warm and oddly reassuring. Safe. A wonderfully guilty pleasure he'd never known he could enjoy so much.

Carol popped her head up from its resting pace on his chest and she stared deeply down at him, a twinkle in her eyes and a curl to her lips. "You're so cute when you're mad."

"Pffft." He scoffed.

"I'm serious!"

"Ain't fucking cute," he muttered, grudgingly. "Damn puppy's cute. I ain't cute."

She hummed, resting her head on his chest once again and snuggling closer to him. "You're right. You're not cute. You're sexy. Very, very sexy." She tightened her grip around his bicep and placed a gentle peck on the sun kissed skin of his toned arm.

"Stop," he grumbled.

This time she placed a kiss on his neck, then his jaw, and finally she sealed the deal by placing a final, lingering one on his lips. "You really are, Daryl," she reiterated softly. "I think you're quite handsome. Sometimes I find it hard to believe I'm not having to wobble over and fight other girls off you."

He hummed, ignoring her compliment. He'd never had a woman call him sexy before. Or handsome. Hell, not even cute. At least not to his face.

Not even his own mama said things like that to him when he was a kid. He doubted she'd ever paid attention to what he looked like if he was being honest with himself. And most of his female teachers were always fussing at him about how unkempt he was and telling him a girl would never look sideways at him if he didn't clean himself up.

But he didn't get to stay wrapped up in his own thoughts about his appearance for long because a sudden jolt to his hip startled him out of his thoughts. He chuckled lightly, yet gruffly at the same time. "Guess Soph don't agree with ya on this one neither." Gently, his fingertips feathered over the bit of skin that stuck out from underneath Carol's favorite night shirt, which was now a bit too small for her, and he muttered, "ain't that right, kid? Your mama's old man ain't much to look at, is he?" His words were followed by another jolt, which was far more intense than the first thud he ever remembered feeling back when their relationship was still brand new. The kid was gonna come out kicking field goals if she got any stronger over the next month before she was born.

"No," Carol protested. "You've got it all wrong. That's her agreeing with him. She thinks her Da…" She stopped herself suddenly, immediately realizing the blunder, mentally kicking herself for almost speaking such a thing. But before she could even determine Daryl's reaction to the words she'd almost so boldly and unfoundedly spoken, her entire side of the house rattled as a loud bang, follow by Merle's unmistakably gruff and angry voice filled both of their ears.

"Both of your lazy asses need to get the fuck up and entertain me, damn it!" The elder Dixon shouted at the top of his lungs, pounding as hard as he could on the door that separated Carol's side of the house from Merle and Daryl's."

Carol groaned into Daryl's neck and Daryl himself growled at his brother's disturbance that interrupted their quaint, peaceful morning. "Piss off!" Daryl shouted back.

"Suck my dick," Merle hollered. "And know I mean that shit literally by now! And that goes for either of ya! Been two damn weeks since the shits been touched by someone other than myself thanks to you and your dumb ass bet." Merle muttered something else they couldn't hear through the door and walls separating them, then grumbled slightly louder, "My fucking hands gonna fall off before this shit's over. Stupid fucker. Hope that baby tears a hole the size of China in her lady bits in a few weeks, just so you know what this shit feels like."

Carol's eyes widened at the thought and she instinctively gulped. She'd read about women needing more than a few stitches from tearing during childbirth and she was hoping and praying she'd be of the lucky few that escaped that fate. When she chanced a glance at Daryl he was shooting her a puzzled look that seemed to suggest he hadn't known that was a possibility.

"Tearing?" He quietly questioned, a look of confusion and disbelief mixed with slight fear in his eyes.

She rubbed the side of his scruffy face and gave him a weak smile, trying to hide that fact that the idea scared her too. "It's okay. It doesn't happen to everyone. And it heals. We can't even have sex for at least six weeks after she's born anyway."

At first, he looked relieved at her words, but then his face paled. "Six weeks?" He questioned again, that same look returning.

"You're lucky I still enjoy it now. Lori hasn't had sex with Rick in over a month," she teased, patting his cheek in a child-like mock. "Think of it this way, you'll have something to look forward to while we wait."

His eyes dipped down to the bed sheet. Already do. Every day," he muttered, then glanced back at her shyly.

She smiled brightly, and was getting ready to lean in and kiss him when Merle's loud banging resumed. Followed by a GET…THE…FUCK…UP!" This time she tossed the covers off both of them, then shook her head in defeat, realizing that quiet morning she was enjoying with him wasn't an option anymore. "I wish you'd never won that bet. He's been driving me crazy with that no sex rule of yours you set for him. He won't leave us alone. I miss the days when he was never at home."

Daryl glowered at the wall and crossed his hands over his chest. "The hell was I supposed to know he'd be this damn annoying if he wasn't getting none? I just thought he'd hang out with Andrea anyway since they spent so much time together. Didn't know he'd always be at home if he wasn't out whoring."

Carol chuckled. "The only thing Andrea and Merle had in common was the sex. I don't even think they like each other. She said he's only tolerable for two days tops, and that's when he's getting her off. She's mad at you about the bet too, you know that, right?"

"Don't see why. Probably saved her from getting the clap."

"Don't be mean," Carol playfully scolded, slapping her boyfriend on the shoulder.

Daryl grinned back, then groaned as Merle continued his shenanigans. Finally, he rolled himself into a sitting position and planted his legs on the floor, reaching beside the bed for his boots. "Guess we better get up and entertain him. Reckon it's kinda a good thing anyway. Giving us practice for when Sophia gets here and she's on the other side of screaming and hollering for us to get up and play with her."

At his words, Carol swore she could feel her heart skip a beat in her chest. He'd just made a statement about something they'd be experiencing down the road, when Sophia was old enough to get out of bed and ask them to play with her. As if he planned to be right there, with the both of them, in two or three years. As if entertain Sophia would be as much of his responsibility as it was hers.

And though she'd almost called him Sophia's dad earlier when they were joking with one another, they hadn't discussed Daryl being a father to her these two months they'd been together. They hadn't said what he would be too her, though Carol could already tell he cared deeply for her daughter and was already attached to her, they hadn't discussed what that meant.

She hadn't wanted to pressure him or make him feel an obligation that wasn't his, even if sometimes it was becoming hard to forget that she wasn't his. Like the day he'd gone with her to get everything for her nursery. Then came home and put it all together for her. Or the day he'd been off work and she'd had a doctor's appointment and he'd finally shyly gotten around to asking if he could go with her, then pointed at the screen and grinned like a kid on Christmas as he watched her flip around and show off for them. Times like that, maybe she had let herself pretend, if only briefly, that Sophia did belong to him. Maybe she'd done it more than she liked to admit, since she almost referred to him as her father this morning without even realizing it.

But their relationship was still so new, Daryl being a relationship at all was still so new, and it wasn't fair for her to ask that of him. Or to assume he'd want that responsibility, even if he did care. Even if he did wanna be around in the future, she just didn't feel right even suggesting it. Besides, you didn't get to choose your child's father just because you didn't like the one biology gave her, did you?"

Still, the thought that he wanted to be around a year or two from now, that he pictured himself helping with Sophia after she was born, it made her heart swell and it made her love him even more.

Love him.

She loved him.

That realization knocked the wind out of her. Because that hadn't said that to each other yet either.

It was too soon for that.

Wasn't it?

Did he love her?

What would he say if she told him?

What if he didn't say it back?

What if he couldn't say it back?

"Hey, you good?"

She shook her head at the sound of Daryl's voice and the feel of a light tap he'd placed on her shoulder to get her attention. She'd been so deep in thought she hadn't even heard Merle's ramblings. "Huh?"

"You good?" He repeated with a hint of worry. "Baby okay?

She nodded. "Why do you ask?"

He shrugged. "Just kinda look pale. Got this weird look in your eye. Kinda freaking me out."

"Perfectly fine," she assured him with a smirk. "Just thinking about Sophia pitching a Merle fit a few years."

Daryl snorted and poked her belly with a single finger. "Can you hear that asshole screaming from in there? Don't get no ideas from him, kid. You act like him we might just leave with you him for a while. Trust me, don't nobody want that."

 **So, there was a slight time jump here. Hope it wasn't too confusing.**


	48. Chapter 48

Carol came to the conclusion that Merle was worse than a spoiled child. The man drug her and Daryl all around three different counites the entire day, demanding they spend every waking minute with him to keep him entertained.

At first, he'd been content to stay local, hitting up a few of the local fishing holes. But that had quickly gone south when he spent over an hour without any bites, griping and complaining the entire time because Daryl caught two brim and a catfish. He'd poked his lip out and thrown a tantrum by kicking Daryl's bucket of fish into the creek

Next, he'd insisted he wanted to go to a musical festival in a town thirty-minutes west of their own some guy at work had told him about. The three of them hadn't been there all of ten minutes when Merle whined that all the bands, "played nothing but hippie shit," and demanded they leave. Daryl growled and huffed but relented in the end.

When they left the music festival, there was a sign for an entertainment complex located about fifteen miles away. The billboard boasted that this particular complex provided fun for the _whole_ family. Go-carts, bowling, put-put, arcade games, an out-door water park in the summer, laser tag, and several food options inside, including a full bar stocked with an array of adult beverages.

Of course, Merle insisted the place was a gold mine and they just had to go.

In total, the trio spent around 5 hours Bigsby's Entertainment complex. They'd completed the entire put-put course. Daryl and Merle raced go-carts until they got kicked off for repeatedly wrecking each other. All three had teamed up against a group of 5 eleven or twelve-year old kids in laser tag, winning the match and causing the eldest, snarkiest kid to proclaim, "the two old dudes and the pregnant lady are badass." The brother's bowled several games, bickering about who was better the entire time, when neither bowled over 120 in a single game. Meanwhile, every thirty minutes or so Merle would sneak off to the bar and buy a pitcher of beet. After spending an hour in the arcade, and over a hundred bucks each, Merle finally decided he'd had enough and was ready to head out.

And Carol was so thankful it seemed the eldest Dixon was finally worn out, because she certainly was. She was pushing the end of her pregnancy, and simply walking for long distances or being on her feet for an extended period of time had become a chore, the day had exhausted her, and she was ready to get home, run a hot bath, then curl up in bed with Daryl. Maybe she could even talk him into a back rub, because her lower back was aching, similar to the way it did when she was on her period.

When they arrived back in their hometown, Merle awake from his nap in the back seat of his own truck Daryl was driving, and exclaimed, "Pool! We need to go shoot pool!"

"Nuh uh!" Daryl barked, just as ready to get home as Carol was. "Ain't going to no damn bar with ya."

"And why the hell not," Merle growled. "Think yer too damn good to go now that you got yourself a woman?"

"My woman's damn near nine months pregnant," Daryl protectively spat. "She ain't going in no damn bar where Soph's gonna be breathing in nothing but stale cigarettes and cheap perfume."

"She's like a fucking tadpole right now," Merle argued. "Kid don't breathe yet… 'Sides, mama smoked two packs a day when she was pregnant with us, we turned out just fine."

"I'm not going into a bar and exposing my unborn child to secondhand smoke and God knows what else," Carol chimed before the brothers turned the argument into a full-blown flight. She was adamant in her decision and dared Merle to challenge her authority as the unborn child's mother.

"Fine," Merle grumbled. He paused and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Let's go to the bowling alley then."

"You just went bowling, Merle." Carol reminded him.

"Don't wanna go bowling. Wanna shoot pool. They got pool tables and a dart board in the back of the bowling alley…and they got a bar."

"Come on, Merle!" Daryl groaned. "Ain't you tired yet? Don't you wanna go home?"

Merle folded his arms over his chest like a petulant child. "No! And I ain't gonna be tired any time soon. If you didn't wanna deal with me all the time you shouldn't've took my favorite damn toy from me."

Daryl looked pleadingly to Carol, begging her to say something to deter his brother's insistence, but she shrugged in response.

"Take me to shoot pool! Take me to shoot pool! Take me to shoot pool!" Merle cried repeatedly.

Daryl emited a low growl from the back of his throat and sharply turned the truck around. "Fine," he grumbled. "But we're playing two games and that's it, then we're going home."

()()()

After they pulled in the local bowling alley, Daryl gave Merle ten bucks, instructed Merle to go inside and get quarters, then secure a table, then told his older brother he and Carol would be in soon.

As Merle bounded to the door, Daryl helped Carol ease out of his brothers jacked up truck. "You good?" He asked her once her feet were on the ground, noticing how she ran a hand over her lower back.

"Yeah," she replied, though she winced in pain. "Just having some cramping today."

"Crampin!?" He asked with alarm.

"It's fine," she assured him. "It's not bad at all. Just kinda feels like it would if I was on my period. It's probably just Braxton hicks."

Daryl arched a brow.

"Kinda like fake labor," she explained.

He nodded, but still seemed concerned. "I can take ya home if ya want. Ain't gotta stay with us."

She smirked at him and feigned a hurt tone as she teased, "why? You ashamed to be seen around town with the gigantic pregnant lady who's carrying a baby that isn't yours?"

"Ain't never gonna be ashamed of ya," he softly but seriously told her, placing a hand on her belly and adding, "neither of ya."

Her smirk faded into a thin line as her lip trembled, and a stray tear escaping the corner of her eye.

"Shit," Daryl muttered. "What'd I do wrong?"

"Nothing," she assured him, then offered him a shaky smile. "You didn't do anything wrong at all…what you said was sweet, very sweet," she wiped at her eyes, "and it made me really happy."

"So happy that I made you cry," he questioned.

She nodded. They're good tears, I promise."

His eyes dipped to the concrete, his face flushed, and the corner of his lip turned up when he dared to look at her again. He extended his hand to her, "Come on, let's go inside, so I can show off my girls that I ain't ashamed of."

()()()

Carol stopped off by the restroom while Daryl made his way towards the back of the bowling alley where Merle was waiting at the bar near the pool tables. He and his brother had frequented this place a lot on Friday nights before Daryl had met Carol. Merle always insisted it was the perfect place to pick up single moms for an alley-way quickie. The moms would bring their kids in after a long week of school to have some fun, kids would go bowling, moms would get drinks, and while the kids were distracted Merle would swoop in. Before Daryl knew it, Merle and the women would disappear, resurfacing ten to fifteen minutes later. The women often times having disheveled hair and ruffled clothing upon their return.

"Well, I'll be damned," the bartender greeted Daryl warmly as he walked up and took a seat beside Merle, "If it ain't Daryl Dixon! Where the hell you been the last few months?"

"He's been busy," Merle answered for him with a snicker. "See, he's got a thing for the girl's next door."

The bartender, a black male with a shaved head who was in his late thirties, rose his brows in surprise and gape at Daryl. "Girls? As in plural?"

Daryl glared at his brother but before he could respond he noticed Carol quickly making her way to him, as quick as she could these days anyway.

Carol ignored the bartender, who was staring at her wide eyed, focusing intently on her belly, and Merle who was nursing a whiskey sour through a straw, and she darted straight in front of Daryl, her face pale and her hands shaking, as she said, "We need to go… _now_."

Daryl stood up out of his seat, panic settling in his gut at her demeanor and the worried tone in her voice. "What's wrong?" He squeaked.

"I think…I think Sophia's coming!"


	49. Chapter 49

**Wow! You guys really made me feel missed 3**

 **Y'all can thank one of the doctor's I work with for inspiration for my most recent update. I had to meet her on emergency for a splenic mass and a c-section. It was almost eleven when she finished the c-section and right after she got done she went into labor.**

 **Got home and couldn't sleep and finally felt enough creative juice to get back to this story.**

Daryl stared at her in disbelief, his heart thudding away in his chest. "Are ya sure?" He finally asked.

She nodded and bit down nervously on her bottom lip. "I thought I had to pee, but my water broke. I called my doctor and all those cramps and that pressure I've been feeling all day were contractions."

"Hold up!" The bartender yelled, then glanced in confusion between Carol and both Dixon brothers. "Daryl's gonna be a daddy? That's where the hell you been all this time? And you ain't told no one?"

Daryl ignored the comment and retained his attention on Carol. "Shit! Soph's coming? Now? Like, right now?"

"Well, not right this second but we need to go ahead and get to the hospital as soon as we can, I'd rather not deliver my first child in a bowling alley/bar," she joked, though she was only half kidding. She Her doctor told her it could take the baby hours or days to arrive once her water broke, but there was no way to know how soon it would be unless they knew how dilated she was.

Daryl frantically nodded, grabbing Carol's hand and clutching it in his own. "Stay put just a little bit longer, kid," he told Sophia, as he and Carol took off for the door.

"Hey! Where the fuck y'all going! What about me!" Merle called out, watching his brother and the expectant mother get farther and farther way until they disappeared through the glass doors.

"Daryl's gonna be a daddy?" The bartender repeated, louder this time.

Merle turned to the man and the corner of his lip turned up. "Yeah, T-Dog, he is." Merle threw a 20 on the counter, stumbled out of his stool, downed the rest of drinking, then took off after Daryl and Carol. "He just don't exactly know that yet," he quietly muttered to himself on his way out the door. "Wait up!" Merle drunkenly shouted once he reached the parking lot, calling out to Daryl as he watched his brother help lift the woman he loved into the truck. "Y'all can't go off and have that baby and leave good Ole Uncle Merle behind!"

()()()

The entire way to the hospital Daryl kept shooting worried glances in Carol's direction. He wasn't sure how long labor took, but in the movies that shit seemed to happen pretty, damn quick. Even if Carol seemed confident they'd make it to the hospital with plenty of time to spare, he was partially terrified she was gonna spit the kid out in his brother's truck before they got there.

And he was worried, because Sophia wasn't technically due for another three weeks or so. What if she wasn't ready to come out yet? Would something be wrong with her? And what if something happened to Carol while she was delivering the baby?

His head was spinning as he frantically cast another peek on her direction. She hadn't caught him the other times, she'd been busy focusing on the timing of what she now knew were contractions, but this time her own worried eyes met his. "You good?" He asked her, immediately feeling like that was the dumbest question he could've asked. Of course she wasn't good! She was about to have a freaking baby.

She forced a weak smile, but her face contorted, and she finally shook her head. "I'm scared," she admitted with a shaky voice.

One of his hands left the steering wheel as he reached over and squeezed her leg. "It's all gonna alright," he told her, trying to assure himself just as much as he was her.

"Easy for you to say," Merle chimed in from the back seat. "You ain't the one who has to push a baby out your pee hole."

"If you don't know the difference between a woman's pee hole and the hole the baby comes out of I feel sorry for all the girl's you ever fucked," Daryl barked at his older brother, annoyed his comment probably only made Carol more nervous. Daryl regretted letting his brother get in his own truck and ride to the hospital with them. He should've made his ass wait at the bowling alley or called him a cab. Merle wasn't the person anyone would want around when they were giving birth anyway, let alone a drunk Merle.

"Had you ever even seen a pussy up close before she let you look at hers?" Merle cackled to himself, finding his own jab hilarious.

"Shut the hell up!" Carol hissed at Merle from the back seat, whipping her head around and glaring at the eldest Dixon. "I'm in labor! I'm about to bring a child into the world! I don't need you two talking about Merle's sexual escapades and how many vaginas my boyfriend may or may not have seen before mine!" She blew out several heavy breathes and shook her head. "I'm in pain and I'm kinda freaking out right now, so unless you wanna hold my hand while I squeeze yours so hard your finger's may break to get me through these contractions, or say something kind or funny to take my mind off the fact someone's head is about to be coming out of me and that I'm forever about to be responsible for another human being, then keep your damn mouth shut, or so help me God, I will throw your ass out of your own truck and leave you on the side of the road."

Merle was deathly silent the rest of the way to the hospital.

()()()

The rest of the ride Daryl had lent Carol his hand as her own personal stress ball, so she could find comfort in his touch and have a way to deal with the pain of her increasingly painful contractions. She was using some kinda funny breathing techniques, taking two heavy breaths out and pulling a deep breath in, and he assumed it was supposed to help, but her face was a squished up like Merle's got when he had to shit really bad and she was squeezing his hand so hard his knuckles were crunching, so he didn't think it was doing a damn bit of good.

At least focusing on her was helping him keep his mind off everything that could go wrong with her or Sophia.

For the most part anyway.

Until the walked in the doors of the maternity ward and the nurse rushed up to Carol with a wheel chair, ready to whisk her back to a room.

"Uncle Hershel," Carol cried, as the nurse was about to wheel her away. "We can't go yet. I've gotta call Uncle Hershel and Aunt Annette. And Maggie! I _need_ Maggie here!"

"Honey," the nurse calmly told her, "you can call them after we take her back." She looked to Daryl and Merle. "Or one of these fella's can call them for you, but we have to take you back right now. Your little girl is on her way and we need to see how dilated you are."

Carol's eyes welled with tears and she shook her head. "I can't do this alone…I can't…I can't…"

The nurse cocked a brow and glanced between Daryl and Merle again, as if she was trying to gauge which of them, if either, was the father of the child.

Daryl chewed his lower lip. He and Carol hadn't discussed whether-or-not he'd be with her when Sophia was born. Giving birth was a very intimate, personal experience, and though they'd had sex, he wasn't sure if she wanted him with her for that. Until now, he hadn't been sure he wanted to be with her if she would have asked. But he couldn't leave her to go through that alone. And even if she had wanted to do it alone, he would've been a nervous wreck in the waiting room if he wasn't with her and didn't know what was going on every single second.

"Ain't gotta do it alone," he announced, sounding bolder and more certain than he felt about his decision. "I'll be with ya…if ya _want_ me to."

More tears filled her eyes and Carol rapidly nodded in response to his offer.

The nurse maneuvered the wheelchair down the white hallway through the double doors that led to the private room where a doctor would be in to check on Carol and baby Sophia, and Daryl held her hand the entire way.

 **I know these updates are short, but that's better than nothing, right?**


	50. Chapter 50

The nurse quickly got Carol situated in a room. Shortly after, the doctor on call, Dr. S, appeared and conducted a check-up to assess what stage of labor she was in and how soon Sophia might make her grand entrance into the world. He gave a brief introduction of himself and explained he'd likely be the one to deliver this baby, since Carol's normal doctor was out of town.

"Well," Dr. S informed them after his examination, "you're definitely in labor. Right now, you're at 2 centimeters, and while that wouldn't necessarily mean I'd want to keep you here just yet, since your water broke, I think we better hang on to you."

"Why the hell wouldn't you keep her anyway, even if her water didn't break?" Daryl chimed in, thinking it sounded a bit ridiculous to send a woman who was in the process of giving birth home at all."

"I see someone didn't do their homework and read the birthing books?" Dr. S light-heartedly teased. He regretted the words almost as soon as they left his mouth though, because Daryl shot him a deep, angry scowl, and the mother to be was shooting him an even worse glare. "Gee, tough crowd," he nervously laughed, then he looked to Daryl and offered a more professional explanation. "Labor isn't this quick and easy thing movies and TV shows make it out to be. There are three stages to labor, and Carol's only in the first stage right now. The first stage alone can last up to 12 hours. Most women would be much more comfortable at home during those long hours. However, since Carol's water broke, this means things might move along a little more quickly, and we'd like to keep an eye on her and your little one, just in case baby decides she's impatient and wants to meet you both as soon as possible."

Carol shifted nervously and uncomfortable at Dr. S' use of the phrase, _"your little one,"_ as if he thought Sophia was Daryl's daughter to be. It was an innocent enough assumption. It was quite obvious that she and Daryl were together. The way he was holding her hand, the way his worried eyes kept landing on her, the way he carefully watched the doctor work, and curiously eyed every move the man made, there was no doubt Daryl was overwhelming concerned about Carol and the baby, and it would only be natural to assume the man filling that role was also the father. However, Carol didn't want anyone to upset Daryl by making such an assumption, especially not after she herself had almost called Daryl's Sophia's father that very morning. She was still freaked out herself she'd almost done such a thing.

But if the phrasing the doctor used upset Daryl in anyway, he didn't let on, instead, he continued with more questions. "Hold up! She's gotta go through all this twelve hours?"

"Or more," Dr. S informed him, "Often, a woman's first labor is a little longer and a bit more intense."

Daryl worried his lower lip, then glanced to Carol, who he could tell was starting to experience more painful contractions by the strained look on her face and the way her body was growing more tense and rigid. "Y'all gonna give her something? Make it not hurt as bad?"

"I don't want an epidural," Carol jumped in, shaking her head rapidly. "I don't do needles. Period. Especially not giant ones in my spine."

"They shove that shit in your spine?" Daryl's head darted in the doctor's direction. "The hell, man? All these advances in modern technology and that's the best thing y'all can come up with to help a woman who's bringing life into the world? You're gonna stab her in the back with a giant needle?"

"I assure you, I didn't come up with the idea," Dr. S chuckled. "But give it a few hours, and most women are begging us to shove a giant needle in their spine at that point.

Again, Carol shot a death glare at the man. "You're not coming near with that needle," she promised him.

Dr. S smiled but didn't comment any further. "Well, I'll give you two some privacy, but I'll be in and out to check on things. If you have any problems or the contractions get unbearable," he nodded to the white call remote attached to Carol's bed, "just press the red button. One of my nurses will be in to check on you promptly." Dr. S couldn't resist one last jab before heading out the door. "Enjoy these last few hours with just the two of you, it's eighteen to life from here on out."

After the doctor left, Daryl emitted a low growl from the back of his throat. "Don't like that fucker," he muttered.

Carol chuckled. "He grated on my nerves too, but everything is doing that right now. I think he was just trying to be funny."

"Being a smart ass," Daryl grumbled. "Acting like an educated version of Merle."

"He's not that bad. No one is that bad."

Daryl's frown faded, and he grinned at Carol. "Ya got a point there." He gently circled his thumb over her wrist as he sat beside her. "Ya feeling alright?"

She shrugged a shoulder. "The contractions are starting to hurt, and I'm starting to freak out a bit. I think I'm actually glad this might last twelve more hours," she quietly admitted.

"How come?" Daryl asked. He certainly didn't want her to be in a pain for twelve more hours.

"I'm gonna be someone's mother once she's born. Forever. I'll be Sophia's mother for the rest of my life." She shook her head, and explained, "What if I'm not a good mom? What if I don't hold her enough? Or what if I hold her too much? What if I don't make enough milk? Or if she hates the bottles I bought? What if she cries at night and I don't wake up to change her or feed her?"

"Stop. You're gonna be a great mama."

"How do you know that?"

"You're a great girlfriend," he pointed out. "Best girlfriend I ever had."

"I'm the only girlfriend you've ever had," she replied with a roll of her eyes.

"I don't settle for less, only go for the best." He blushed and dipped his head after the words left his mouth. "Fuck. That was corny as shit. I'm a dumbass."

She giggled, feeling herself relax a bit as she let him distract her. "Yeah, well, you're my dumbass. And you're a cute one."

"Stop," he muttered, though he was peeking up and grinning at her.

()()()

Two hours passed by, and still no baby. And though it was late at night, Maggie, Beth, Hershel, and Annette had all arrived at the hospital by that point, and everyone was taking turns going in and out of the room to visit her. She was still in the beginning stages of labor and hadn't reached 3 cm's yet. The doctor had been in to check on her twice since they arrived, and there had been talk of induction if the labor didn't continue to progress. He explained they don't like women to be in labor for more than 24 hours after their water breaks, but that they still had plenty of time to wait and see if baby Sophia would come along on her own.

Daryl had been true to his word so far, not leaving Carol's side. Not even to get up and pee, but he was starting to feel angsty being locked up in that room for so long. He was wearing holes in the soles of his shoes pacing back and forth from the head of Carol's bed to the bathroom door.

"Daryl, sweetheart," Carol called out. "Why don't you go take a smoke break for a few minutes." She was feeling dizzy just watching move to and fro.

He picked his head up and gnawed at his bottom lip. "But what if something happens while I'm gone? Don't wanna miss nothing. Don't want you to need me and me not be here."

She smiled weakly, feeling exhausted and uncomfortable, as beads of sweat dripped down her head and her tummy growled in protest. Her doctor had informed her on his first check in that she wasn't to have anything solid, in the rare event she ended up needing a c-section and would have to be sedated. "Nothing's gonna happen," she assured him. "I haven't even made it to the second stage yet, and even when I do, it could still take hours for Sophia to get here. Go get some fresh air for a few minutes."

"Well…not some so fresh air," Maggie chimed in from her place on the couch. She'd been sitting in the room with Carol and Daryl the last ten minutes, visiting with her favorite older cousin and anxiously awaiting the arrival of her newest little cousin. "Seeing as how you're gonna go puff away on a cancer stick."

Daryl scowled at Maggie and Carol stifled a giggle. The corner of his lip turned up when he noticed Maggie's quip had temporally brought relief to the pain and discomfort Carol was feeling. He worried his bottom lip as he contemplated whether-or-not he should leave her, even if he was feigning for some nicotine something awful. There was a nervous flutter in the pit of his stomach that left him petrified of leaving her for some reason, though he was the one who kept assuring her everything was gonna be just fine any time she grew anxious over the last two hours.

"Go on," Carol gently encouraged. "Promise I'll be here when you get back. Besides, I was kinda hoping you'd maybe bring me a popsicle from the nurse's station on your way back in." She shot him her most pitiful puppy dog eyes, and added, "I think Sophia really wants one," for good measure.

Hesitantly, he agreed. "Kid's spoiled already," he playfully muttered. He trekked back to the head of the bed, bent down and kissed her soaked forehead, then looked to Maggie and sternly informed, "You come find me if anything happens. Got it?"

Maggie chuckled. "Yes sir," she replied, sealing her promise with a salute.

The womenn watched Daryl leave, both noticing how he frantically glanced over his shoulder every few seconds until he was out the door.

"Wow!" Maggie exclaimed, once the door was closed and Daryl was no longer in sight. "If I didn't know better, I'd swear this was his baby."

Carol's lower lip trembled, and she couldn't help the bitter sweet smile that spear across her face. "Sometimes I forget his isn't." She shook her head. "That's awful, isn't it? It's not fair to him to let myself pretend that."

Maggie smiled back at her older cousin and shook her head. "Annette didn't birth me, but that doesn't make her any less of my mama. She raised me from the time she met my daddy and never once treated me different than either or her own. Family isn't always blood."

"I suppose that's true," Carol mused, thinking back on how she often forgot Annette wasn't Maggie's blood mother and Shawn wasn't her biological cousin. "But we haven't been together that long."

"Doesn't matter," Maggie simply replied. "I've known Daryl Dixon going on two years now, and I've never seen him care for anything the way he cares for you and that baby you're about to have. I don't even think he loves himself that much."

Carol blinked a few times. "But he hasn't…we haven't even told each other that. You think…you think he loves me?"

"Not everyone says I love you with words," Maggie replied. "Not everyone knows how to say it that way, but yeah, Carol, he loves you. Both of you. I've got no doubts about that."

()()()

Daryl rounded the corner of the hospital, where he came across Merle standing at the nurses' station, he slowed his steps, curious as to what his older brother could be bothering the nurses about.

"I mean, if you won't get me nothing for my extreme glaucoma, can't you just put it on Cinemax," Merle pleaded with the nurse, referring to the television in the waiting room. "It gets good this time of night. Becomes skin-e-max."

"Sir," the nurse replied with annoyance, "no one else here is in the mood for that kind of entertainment right now."

"That kinda entertainment is what got all these women here in the first damn place," Merle grumbled. "It's just a little bit of ass and titties. Lighten up."

"Do you want me to call security?" She snarled.

"No need for that," Daryl interrupted, catching his older brother by the forearm and tugging him along in his direction. "You gotta excuse him, he ain't had his meds today."

"I tried to tell her I needed some weed."

Daryl glared at Merle.

"CBD oil. Excuse me," he muttered.

"Come on," Daryl growled, yanking Merle along until they were outside of the hospital and sitting on the curb in the darkness.

"The hell's taking so long," Merle grumbled, as his brother handed him a menthol and passed the lighter. "I'm bored as fuck and she won't even let me in the room with y'all."

"Having a baby takes time," Daryl replied, after pulling in a long drag. "They don't just shoot out of there."

"Can't you speed it up none? I heard fucking's supposed to help push 'em on out."

"See this is why she don't let you in the room," Daryl pointed out. "And besides, I don't think she wants to fuck right now," Daryl replied. "Don't exactly look like she's in the mood and I don't wanna either. Don't wanna hurt her no worse than she's already hurting."

"She'd be thanking ya once the kid popped out."

Daryl shook his head. "And you said I'm the one who ain't got a clue about women."

"Ya didn't," Merle barked. "Just got lucky and found one worth teaching your dumbass."

()()()

Carol and Maggie were chatting about Carol's plans for Sophia, when the fetal monitor began to make some strange, erratic noises.

"What's that mean," Maggie asked, her voice high pitched and concerned as she stepped towards the bed and stood next to Carol.

"I don't know," Carol gulped, watching as the lines on the machine that were rising and falling in a rhythmic manner start to steadily decline as all sorts of alarms began screaming. Frantically, she began relatedly pressing the call button on her remote.

()()()

Daryl stubbed out his cigarette and made his way back inside with Merle in tow behind him, he planned on heading to the nurse's station and asking for that popsicle Carol wanted but was gonna stop by the drink machine and grab himself a soda first. As he slid his dollar in the machine, his heart skipped a beat when he heard the name of Carol's doctor being called over the intercom. He let the machine eat his dollar and made a bee-line for Carol's room, a sinking feeling over taking him as his steps grew closer and closer. A few doors away from her room, his jaw dropped as he saw Carol's bed being wheeled out of her room and towards the double doors at the end of the hall, several nurses and the doctor in tow. "What's going on," he demanded, as he jogged to catch up with Carol and the team of medical professionals.

"Daryl," Carol cried, reaching out for his hand, but she couldn't grasp it, she was being wheeled faster and faster, and he couldn't quite catch up with them, and no one would stop and allow him to.

"The baby's in distress," Dr. S quickly replied, not stopping to go into great-detail. "She's having trouble getting oxygen and we've gotta do an emergency c-section."

"They're gonna be okay, right?" The doctor didn't respond right away. "Right?" Daryl barked.

Dr. S turned to face Daryl. "We're gonna do all we can for Carol and the baby. I promise. Right now, I just need you to go have a seat and wait for us to update you."

"Hell, nah! I'm coming with her!"

"You can't. This is a medical emergency. I can't let you in the operating room. I'm sorry."

"I ain't leaving her," he growled.

"I promise sir, we're gonna do all we can for your wife and baby," Dr. S placed a sympathetic hand on Daryl's shoulder. "The longer you delay us, the more you're putting them at risk. Let us do our job. We've gotta go. _Now_."

Daryl's lip quivered and he reluctantly nodded. "You're gonna be fine," He called out to Carol from a few feet away, as they wheeled her through two large double doors and she disappeared. "You and Soph, you're both gonna be just fine…I…I…I love you," he choked out just above a whisper. The last thing he heard was the faint hint of her telling him she loved him too, and the next thing he remembered was collapsing against the wall and slumping to the floor, his chest feeling like a ton of bricks were laid on it. He wasn't even aware of the fact that Maggie had been behind him the entire time was slumping down next to him.


	51. Chapter 51

Maggie cautiously reached over and place a gentle hand on Daryl's shoulder, but he didn't respond to her touch, not even a flinch. "Daryl," said, but got no response. "Daryl," she tried again, still nothing. She repeated his name two more times with the same result, so finally she gave him a gentle shake.

The movement of his own body was enough to momentarily free him from the petrified haze he was in. Startled, he tensed and glanced next to him, finding Maggie beside him. He blinked several times, trying to rid the dampness he felt welling in his eyes.

"She's gonna be okay, Daryl," Maggie tried assuring him and she hoped her voice came out convincing enough, because she was worried to death about Carol and Sophia.

He top teeth raked over his bottom lip. "What happened?" He managed through a shaky breath.

"I don't know," Maggie replied hoarsely. "We were just talking all her monitors started going crazy. We looked over to the one that keeps up with the heart rate and the little lines just started falling. Nurses rushed in and started whispering to each other and called for the doctor stat. They said something about the baby not getting enough oxygen, but they rushed me out of the room before I could hear anything else."

"How the hell did that happen?" He growled. "I was barely gone two minutes. I shouldn't fucking left to smoke. I should've stayed there with her."

"There's nothing you could've done even if you were in there. There's nothing I could do. We just have to let the doctors do their job and hope and pray for the best."

Daryl narrowed his eyes at that remark but bit back the urge to say what he wanted to; which was that hoping and praying hadn't ever done anything for him before. Not when his daddy left, and he prayed every night he'd come back. Not when he prayed his mama would meet a nice guy who'd her and him and Merle right. Or later when he realized maybe nice guys didn't exist and he hoped she'd be happy alone. Not even when he found his mama overdosed in bathtub after coming home from a camping trip with Merle when he was 17 and hoped she'd somehow pull through. It hadn't worked for him at all during his twenty-nine years of life, so he didn't have much faith it would now.

Maggie stood up, then reached a hand down to Daryl. "Come on, let's go wait with Daddy and the others. There's nothing we can do here anyway. Carol would want you to be with people who cared about you."

His body felt like lead and he felt paralyzed knowing there was nothing he could do for her or Sophia. All he wanted was for Carol's doctor to walk through those doors and tell him that the woman he loved more than anything in the world and her baby girl were alright. He wanted that man to take him to them and to be able to run to Carol and hold her in his arms while she held her daughter and tell her that he loved her again. To tell her how much she and Sophia had come to mean to him and that he couldn't picture his life without them. He'd have been content to sit right there in front of that door until that happened.

Except, it also occurred to him that the opposite could happen, that doctor could walk through those doors and shatter his world by telling him something went terribly wrong and that he'd never see Carol again, never officially get to lay eyes on Sophia, and that thought rocked him to his very core. The doctor mistakenly called him Carol's husband and Sophia's father before he took her back, but Daryl didn't think he could love them any more if that statement was actually true. She and that unborn child were the best things that ever happened to him, a dream he never dared hoping for, but one that found him all the same, and he wasn't ready for that dream to end. In fact, he wanted this to be the beginning of it. And he didn't think he could be alone if someone told him that was all going to be taken away from him.

So, he reluctantly took Maggie's hand and let her help pull him to his feet, and the two of them made the silent trek back to the waiting room to update everyone and anxiously await news on Carol and the baby.

()()()

Once they got back to the waiting room, Daryl began a never-ending pace from one end of the room to the other, the edge of his thumb tucked at the corner of his lip as walked back and forth, back and forth, over-and-over again.

Hershel and his family, minus Shawn who was away at school, sat huddled together in a corner, holding hands and praying.

Merle had bolted out the door after he heard the news and saw how upset his baby brother was.

When Hershel finished his prayed, he slowly stood up and approached Daryl. "Son," he began, "Can we go outside and talk?"

Daryl shook his head and continued pacing.

"Just for a minute," Hershel pleaded, following in step behind Daryl.

"Last time I went outside just for a minute when I came back in everything went to shit," he growled. "Ain't leaving again. Gonna stay right here until I know something."

"Sit down with me then? Just for a minute?" Hershel pointed to two chairs near the back of the room where they could have some privacy.

"Just for a minute," Daryl grumbled, following the older man.

Hershel stopped in front of the vending machine and got two sodas. He handed one to Daryl and forced him to take a sip. "Just breathe, son. Just relax and breathe."

"Can't. Don't feel like I can breathe." Daryl shook his head. "Stupid. Fucking stupid. She's your family. I barely known her over three months and it ain't my kid. You should be the one acting like this, not me."

Hershel leaned his head back and stared at the ceiling. "I love those girls. I do…and maybe I'm a bit calmer than you are, but that's because I truly believe they're gonna be okay. Both of them. Carol's tough as hell, always has been. She's gonna pass that on to Sophia and they'll be just fine…You love both of those girls too, you've got every right to be as upset as you are. It's not easy on a man when his family's hurting and there's nothing he can do."

"Ain't never had a family," Daryl muttered. "Not really…I mean…Had an old man…he left when I was five. Don't really remember him, ain't worth remembering. Had a mama, she was there, but not really. Cared more about getting fucked up and having a man than she ever did about me Merle." He swiped a hand over his face. "I thought I was fine with that…thought I wasn't ever meant to have that kinda life like you do with your wife and your kids…Figured if I ever got it, something would fuck it all up anyway…But I met Carol, and she was gonna have Sophia, and all that just changed. You know? I wanted…wanted that with her…with _them_. I thought maybe I'd get to have everything I never had with them…" he paused feeling himself choke up. "And now all I can think of is what if I lose them, too?"

"You're not gonna lose them, son. It's all gonna be okay." He reached over and placed a hand on Daryl's shoulder. "Let me pray with you. Pray Carol, the baby, and you."

Daryl didn't argue this time, he figured if God was gonan hear anyone's prayers, it would probably be a man like Hershel Greene's. And as Hershel prayed, Daryl silently prayed too. Begging God to please not take Carol or her daughter from him. Asking him to please let him have a chance at finally having a real family.

()()()

Thirty minutes later, Dr. S appeared in the waiting room and walked straight to Daryl. "The baby's here and she's doing just fine. The nurses are cleaning her up now."

A weight felt like it was lifted from Daryl's shoulders, though the heaviness remained in his chest. "And Carol's? How's Carol?"

The Greene family stared ahead anxiously.

"She's fine. She lost a bit of blood during the c-section, but she's in recovery and all of her vitals look good."

"Thank God!" Hershel praised. He stepped forward and shook the doctor's hand. "Thank you so much for taking care of my niece and her baby girl." He looked over to Daryl and nodded, to say I told you they'd be fine.

"When can I see her?" Daryl asked, feeling immense relief that the two most important things in the world to him were gonna be okay.

"She's still groggy and just waking up, but she's already asking for you. Give me just a few minutes and I'll have someone take you back to see them." The doctor reached out and gave Daryl a pat on the back. "Those are some tough girls you got on your hands. Congratulations."

()()()

The entire walk to Carol's hospital room, Daryl's legs felt like jelly. He was so relieved to know she was okay, but it almost didn't feel real to him that things had turned out so well. It almost felt like he was in a dream. He needed to see her and the baby with his own to eyes to verify they were okay.

As he stepped into her room, he found her sitting up in the hospital bed, a tiny bundle in small blanket was swaddled in her arms. "Hey," he greeted her, his voice thick and hoarse.

Carol took her eyes off her newborn child and glanced in Daryl's direction, she gave him an exhausted but welcome smile. "Hey yourself," she replied, her voice weak and groggy, but joyful.

He practically ran to her once he saw she was coherent and alert. When he was beside her bed, he bent down and pressed a kiss to her forehead, then her cheek, then her jaw, before he pressed a final kiss to her lips. "Sorry I left," he apologized, a strangled sound escaping his voice. "Should've been there for you. Didn't want you to have to be alone. Shouldn't have left the room."

"It's okay," she soothed, running her hand through the long strands of hair at the back of his neck. "There's nothing you could've done to stop it and the doctor wouldn't let you go with me. Believe me, I begged him to go get you a hundred times before I went under. I'm okay. _We're_ okay."

His elation at seeing Carol had made him momentarily forget that Sophia was here. Slowly, he lifted his head and stared down at the bundle in her arms. He gnawed at his bottom lip. "Can I see her?" Between the blanket and hat the little one had one, he couldn't make out any of her features.

Carol eagerly nodded and pulled of the hat her baby girl had on, then peeled back the blanket to reveal a wrinkly, red-skinned, little girl with a head full of dark hair. The child popped an eye open and stared at in Daryl's direction. "Sophia, this is Daryl, and he's very, very important to us."

Another strangled sound escaped Daryl's throat and he was unable to hold back tears as he stared at the woman he loved holding her first child. The heavy, doomed feeling he'd been overcome with earlier was replaced with an entirely knew one. An all-consuming love for the two beings in front of him. He hesitantly reached out and traced the side of the baby's face with the tip of his index finger. "She's so damn soft," he muttered, staring at Sophia in pure awe.

Carol smiled at her daughter, and tears of happiness slipped from the corner of her eye. "She's pretty amazing. I can't stop looking at her. I can't believe she's here and she's real, and she's all mine."

Daryl grinned at her. "Guess you ain't scared of being her mama no more?"

"Oh, I'm still terrified," she chuckled. "So extremely, terrified…but happy incredibly, unbelievably happy. Happier than I knew I could be after having my stomach cut open and a person pulled out of it."

His lip quivered at the mention of her c-section and he remembered how, not even ten minutes before, he hadn't been sure he'd ever see her again or get to meet Sophia. "Scared the shit of me earlier. Ain't never been that scared of losing nothing my whole life."

Carol's hand gently swept over the top of her daughter's head. "I was scared too. Not for me…for her. I couldn't bear the thought of losing her…" She glanced away from her daughter and met Daryl's eyes. "What you said when they were taking me back…did you mean it?"

He nodded. He'd meant to tell her he loved her when he first saw her again, but those weren't words he was used to saying and somehow, they kept getting caught in his throat. "More than anything," he whispered."

She leaned up to press a kiss to his lips, wincing in pain from her recent procedure, but still managing to briefly catch his lips with hers. "Love you, too," she replied, then she looked to her daughter, and added, "we both do."

 **49 Chapters of almost nothing but fluff, I had to add a little angst for a minute there.**


	52. Chapter 52

**I know it's been a long time and you guys may not even be into this story anymore, but I am hell-bent on finishing it and working hard towards accomplishing that right now. I've had some changes at work that allow me more free time and I'm gonna try and wrap this one up soon. I started on an ending that seemed forced just to give this story an ending, but I wanna finish it right and touch on the pieces that were in my head when I started this story. So, enjoy your next few chapters I plug out. Much love to you all and I hope that no matter what, everyone can remember the good Caryl moments the early seasons gave us and that we keep that in our hearts, not the bullshit the show became.**

Daryl was laying in the hospital bed with a sleeping Carol and Sophia. Per hospital protocol, a mother who underwent a c-section was required to stay a minimum of 72 hours, and Carol was currently only on her second day. Poor thing was miserable and ready to get home. Between Sophia waking up every two hours, nurses constantly poking their heads in and out of the room, her family bombarding them with visits, the pain from her surgery, and the uncomfortable nature of the hospital itself, Carol hadn't gotten much sleep over the last 48 hours and she was downright exhausted. She's passed out mid-sentence while holding Sophia about twenty-minutes ago and Daryl felt relieved she was getting a nap in. Sophia had fallen asleep in her mother's arms about ten minutes before Carol knocked out, so he was hopeful that his girls could both get at least two hours in undisturbed.

Daryl hadn't left Carol or Sophia's side since he'd been reunited with them after the c-section. A large part of him felt terrified if he left them for any reason, he'd come back, and something would have gone terribly wrong. He hadn't even left the room for a smoke break, which was probably the longest he'd been without an actual cigarette since he was 12 or 13. Luckily, Merle brought him a large stash of Nicotine gum, so he could survive the hospital stay. His brother had even been nice enough to bring a change of clothes. Merle was being surprisingly supportive and thoughtful to both Daryl and Carol through all of this. He went as far as brining them both lunch from Daryl's favorite diner downtown, even stopping by the local bakery and bringing Carol her favorite sweet treats, which he'd learned from Hershel were caramel brownies.

In fact, Merle was being so damn nice it freaked Daryl the hell out. So much so that Daryl relieved Merle from the binds of that little bet they had in hopes that his older brother would disappear for a while and go off on a quest to find a piece after not being allowed to get any in over a month, and it worked, too. Because once Daryl assured Merle he was fine with calling the bet off and wouldn't try and trick him into following another dare later, his brother shot out of the hospital so fast he looked like the Tasmanian Devil.

It wasn't that Daryl and Carol didn't appreciate Merle's help and weren't grateful for the shocking change in behavior, it was just, well, Merle was fucking exhausting in and of himself. Daryl knew Carol needed to rest when she finally got to go home in the next day or so, she needed time to bond with her daughter without constant interruptions from hospital staff and drop in visitors, and of course Daryl wanted to be around to help Carol do anything she needed to do once they got home, which was actually a lot thanks to that c-section, and he knew that having a bored Merle who wanted constant attention and entertainment around for all of that would only make those things more difficult. This was really a win-win for everyone to let go of that bet and let Merle re-acquainted with his old life, so Daryl and Carol could adjust to their new one.

 _Their new life._

That simple statement had such a profound impact on Daryl and is stirred a well of emotions within him as his eyes flitted from white ceiling he'd been staring at and over to the woman he loved, who was sleeping peacefully. He swallowed as his eyes drifted to Sophia, the newborn baby girl was tucked delicately in her mother's arms, sleeping just as peacefully, her little mouth slightly agape with one hand resting under her chin. It hit him then, he loved that little girl, too. So damn much. And even if he hadn't held her yet, for fear he might do something wrong and unintentionally hurt her or cause her harm, he knew without a shadow of a doubt he loved that little girl and would do anything in the world for her. And that thought almost terrified him more than realizing he loved Carol had, because he wasn't Sophia's father, he had no right to this child, and it meant he had twice as much to lose if Carol ever walked away from him, or worse, if Sophia's biological father laid claim to her.

But Daryl pushed those dark thoughts down, not letting his mind and his past get the best of him. Not today. Not now. Right now, he had his girls. Both of them. And he wanted to revel in that fact. For once, he was gonna celebrate how lucky he was and let himself be happy.

As gently as he could, and careful not to move too much in the cramped little hospital, Daryl pressed a quick, soft kiss on top of Carol's head. Then, he ever so slowly reached over and traced a feather-light touch with his finger-tip across the newborn's head full of thick, dark hair.

()()()

Three soft but swift knocks and the sound of Carol's voice quietly saying, "just a minute," pulled Daryl from his sleep-laden state. He blinked himself awake and slowly lifted his head, wiping a small amount of drool from the side of his mouth as he did so. He emitted a tired groan, blinked several times, peered up at Carol, who was smiling down at him affectionately while feeding Sophia a bottle, and then lifted his head and scooted up in bed. He wiped the sleep from his eyes and groggily asked, "How long was I out for?"

"I'm not sure how long you've been out for certain, but I know you were asleep when I woke up about an hour ago and I was out at least three hours," she informed him. She then smiled at her daughter, who was greedily sucking away at the bottle in her mouth. "I woke up before Sophia did. I think that's a record for her. She just started stirring a few minutes ago and when she started whimpering I got the nurse to bring in a bottle for her." Due to the c-section, Carol was having trouble getting up and down easily, and with Sophia in her arms and Daryl squished in bed next to her she hadn't been brave enough to chance standing on her own and dropping her daughter.

"Could've woke me up and I would've got it ready for you," Daryl insisted.

The corner of Carol's lip twitched. "I know you would have, but you needed to sleep. You've been awake these last two days just as much as I have. You have to take care of yourself, too."

He shot her a look, one hoped conveyed the fact that taking care of Carol and Sophia was more important than sleep to him, but he didn't verbally argue with her, knowing it was a losing battle because she would insist he had to take care of himself to help take care of them. "Who you think is at the door?"

"I don't know," she replied with a shrug, she'd momentarily forgotten someone was on the other side of the door waiting to come in. "Come in," she called out, welcoming whoever it may be.

The door slowly creaked open and Lori and Rick stepped through. Rick was holding a big pink teddy bear and vase of flowers, while Lori was carrying a bundle of pink balloons. Lori squealed at the sight before her as she stepped foot in the room, seeing Daryl, Carol, and Sophia curled up in that tiny hospital bed together melted her heart and she thought for a moment her hormones were going to get the best of her because she felt her eyes start to water.

"Congratulations," Rick said, looking to Carol, then giving a slow nod of acknowledgement to Daryl.

"Thank you," Carol replied warmly. She nodded to the gifts and motioned to the window seal in the corner of the room where a host of other gifts were littered. "You can set those down over there."

Rick nodded and placed the teddy bear and flowers down, then grabbed the balloons for Lori's hand and set them down as well. He took a seat in a chair a few feet away and Lori walked over to the bed and leaned down and Carol a light hug.

The pregnant woman stared down at the newborn in awe, rubbing a hand over her own belly, which resembled an oversized basketball. Lori then stared down at Sohpia. "I can't believe she's here. She is just perfect."

"I know," Carol gushed proudly. "She's the most incredible thing I've ever seen, and I can't believe she's real and she's finally here."

Lori glanced at the bottle, then to Carol. "Are you not going to breast feed?"

Daryl scowled deeply at Lori and Carol shifted uncomfortably. Carol had planned to breastfeed, but like the birth itself, it wasn't exactly going according to plan, and Daryl knew it was a sensitive subject for Carol.

"I've tried…I tried really hard yesterday and this morning, she just won't latch, and my body isn't making enough milk even if she would." Carol wiped at her eye. "Sorry, I'm still feeling pretty hormonal."

"No, I'm sorry," Lori interrupted. "I shouldn't have asked, it's none of my business anyway." She quickly changed the subject. "When you're done feeding her…Do you think I could maybe I could her?"

Carol nodded and smiled at the hopeful and excited look on her friend's face. "I'll check her diaper as soon as she finished and then after I change her you can hold her."

()()()

When Sophia was done with her bottle, Carol checked her diaper and discovered she was wet. Daryl was going to get out of bed and get everything ready, so Carol could change her, but Lori insisted she be the one to help her and asked where everything was, so she could help. She said she wanted to get as much practice in over the next few weeks before Carl got here as she could in order to feel more prepared.

Rick then pulled out a pack of cigars and asked Daryl if he wanted to step outside and share one with him while the women changed the diaper. He initially declined, casting a worried look in Carol and Sophia's direction. What if Carol fell while he was gone? What if Lori couldn't get her back up without hurting her? What if Lori was trying to help Carol and wasn't paying attention to Sophia and something happened? The emergency c-section still weighed heavily on his mind and he wasn't sure what he was going to do when he had to go back to work in a few days and they were home alone. He had no idea how he was gonna pay attention and focus on his job. He had to pull his shit together and he knew it.

And Carol must have known it, too. Because she insisted that he go with Rick and enjoy his cigar, assuring him she and Sophia would be fine and Lori would come get it him if they needed anything from him or if anything went wrong.

So, that's how Daryl ended up outside of the hospital for the first time in 48 hours, sitting beside Rick on the curb, enjoying the fresh nicotine from the cheap cigar as the smoke filled his lungs, savoring the taste on his lips.

Rick coughed and choked desperately with each hit he took. The deputy sheriff shook his head. "I know it's supposed to be tradition and all when a baby is born, and I figured you'd appreciate it the gesture, but damn, this is disgusting." Rick shook his head and stubbed his cigar out on the concrete.

Daryl chuckled to himself and continued to savor his cigar. "Ain't no Morley Menthol, but it hits the stop. Ain't had a smoke since right before Sophia was born."

Rick fidgeted with his hands and studied Daryl carefully. "So, Carol had a c-section."

"Mhm."

"Was…was something wrong?"

Daryl stilled and paused before answering. Finally, he said, "baby's heart rate dropped. Don't know why. Doctor said everything's fine now. With both of them. Said my girls are gonna be just fine."

Rick smiled at Daryl's choice of words, referring to Carol and Sophia as his girls, and he wondered if Daryl was even aware he said that out loud. "You know," Rick mused, "when I told you Lori was pregnant, I gotta say, I never imagined I'd be coming to the hospital to visit your girlfriend's new baby before I ever even got to meet my son."

Daryl hummed and took a long drag from his cigar. "Hell, me either."


	53. Chapter 53

**WOW! I had no idea so many of you were still into this. I hate I left you hanging so long. Here's the next chapter. I'll try to my best to post two per week until it's finished. Thank you all for letting me know you still like the story, I have even more motivation to finish now**.

"I could just take hide her under my shirt and sneak her out the door with me when I leave," Lori cooed as she held baby Sophia in her arms.

Carol chuckled lightly. "Trust me, you'd bring her back soon enough. Cherish all the uninterrupted sleep you still have left these last few weeks."

Lori's eyes flitted away from the infant's big blue ones, eyes that reminded her so much of the eyes that belonged to her friend sitting across the room in the hospital bed. She cast her friend a sympathetic smile. "How are you doing? And don't give me the bullshit answer I'm sure you'll give everyone else by saying your fine and couldn't be happier having your daughter here in your arms. Because as much as I know that's true and as much as I know you love this little girl more than life itself already, I also know you went through something huge to get her here and I'm sure it's taking a toll on you."

Carol hummed and shook her head. It was just like Lori to be blunt and cut straight to the point. "I'm exhausted," Caro admitted warily. "More exhausted than I've been in my entire life. And it hurts. Everything hurts. Even with the pain meds they give me, if I move wrong I can still feel it. I'm so sick of being here in this damn hospital and I can't stand having to depend on other people for everything." She sighed heavily. "I can't even get up by myself and get my daughter if she cries. Daryl has to help me stand up and half the time he's so freaked out if he lets go that I'll fall so he holds my arm as I walk to get over to get her…He even had to help walk to me the bathroom last night. I hate it, Loir. I hate feeling like I can't do anything myself."

"I'm sorry, honey."

Carol shook her head. "Please, don't be sorry. The last thing I want is people feeling sorry for me on top of everything else. I know I'm lucky. I'm fine. More importantly, my daughter is fine. I know that some people don't get that lucky and I feel like I don't have room to complain at all because of that. It's just…I don't know, I don't feel like I've been in control of anything and I think it's catching up with me. The entire pregnancy, it wasn't how I planned my first child. You know? And then I damn sure didn't plan to have a c-section. I didn't get to here her cry for the first time. I wasn't one of the first people to see Sophia's face and know she was okay." Her voice cracked, and she paused to gather herself. "I was so scared when I woke up, Lori. The last thing I remembered when I first woke up was being told Sophia's heart rate was dropping and if they didn't take her now she might not make it. When she wasn't with me in the room when I woke up I was so scared."

"I can't even imagine what you went through with that and how you're feeling now." Lori's eyes fell back on to Sophia's momentarily. "I'm so glad you're okay, and that this pretty little girl is okay."

"Me, too." Carola agreed. "So happy and I'm just ready to get her home and get in a routine. But Aunt Annette and Uncle Hershel said I shouldn't go home since I live alone." Carol sighed again, sounding defeated this time. "They think I need help while I recover and as much as I hate to admit it, I think they might be right. I'm probably gonna have to stay with them for a week or two."

If you wanna go home," Lori offered, "I'd be glad to stop by and check on you every day. I could help pick up around the house or even cook for you."

Carol smiled appreciatively at her friend. "I can't ask you to do that. Not right now. You need to rest before Carl gets here and you need to take care of yourself these last few weeks. It'll be alright. Even if I don't want to, I know it's what I have to do. I think that part of the reason I don't wanna go stay with them sort of has to do with being away from Daryl for a week or two."

"Why don't you ask him to stay with you," Lori suggested as she rocked back and forth with Sophia in her arms. The little one let out big yawn and blinked her blue doe-eyes several times before closing them.

"I can't ask him to do that," Carol insisted. "He's done so much already. Staying out of work the last two days and literally staying by our side the entire time until you and Rick got here. You saw how I practically had to force him out the door a few minutes ago."

Lori chuckled at how persistent Daryl had been about staying with them and how Carol kept insisting he go have a smoke with Rick and get himself some fresh air. "Somehow, I don't think he'd mind staying with the two of you and helping out another week or two."

"I know he wouldn't," Carol agreed. "But it isn't his place. It isn't his responsibility."

"He's your boyfriend. If he wants to take of you, let him."

"But he's not my husband. He's not Sophia's father," Carol added sadly. "He doesn't _have_ to take care of us."

"I know he doesn't _have_ to, but maybe he _wants_ to. Carol, that boy's crazy about you if you hadn't noticed."

This time, Carol smiled genuinely. "I know he is. He told me he loved me while they were wheeling me back for the c-section." She paused. "I think at first I thought maybe he just said it because he was scared. People say things when they're scared…but I know he loves me, Lori. He's been so amazing through all of this. He hasn't complained once and he jumps to do anything to help me. He learned how to make a bottle, just so I wouldn't have to get out of bed and do it. The poor man had to listen to the nurses ask me so many questions about bodily fluids and functions I doubt he'll ever wanna sleep with me again."

Lori chuckled and smiled back at Carol. "I always knew Daryl would step up to the plate if he found someone worth getting close to. I'm proud of him and I'm so happy that it was you he and your little girl chose to let himself get close to. How is he with Sophia?" Lori grinned. "Does she have him wrapped around her finger yet?"

Carol paused, considering her answer. From an outward standpoint, one might think Daryl hadn't developed a relationship with Sophia quite yet, because he hadn't once asked to hold her, but Carol knew that wasn't the case at all. "He hasn't held her yet." When Lori looked genuinely surprised and even a bit worried, Carol hastened," but sometimes he strokes the top of her head or her cheek with his fingertip. He's so gentle when he does it, like she's a porcelain doll that might crack. And he pays attention to everything the nurses say when it comes to her. He watched intently when they showed me how feed and burp her. He wants to make sure the bottle is just the right temperature before she gets it. And he watches her while I hold her. She watches him too. It's so funny when they stare at each other like that." Carol snorted. "Sometimes I think she knows who he is from his voice. I know it's ridiculous, but I can't help but wonder if she knows he's the one who used to rile her up when she was in my tummy and get her to kick and summersault everywhere because when he talks her eyes instantly dart to him."

"Why don't you ask him to hold her?" Lori suggested.

"When he's ready, he'll ask me to hold her," Carol insisted. "He's grown a lot emotionally since I first met him, but I've learned Daryl isn't the kind of man you push to do things. He'll do them when he's ready and he shows he cares in his own way until then. He's better at acts of service than physical displays of affection."

"You're right," Lori agreed. "I guess I'm just so used to Rick and how he works sometimes I just assume everyone needs a little push here and there." The talking must have roused the newborn, because she squirmed and blinked several times before finally leaving her eyes wide open. Lori stared deeply into Sophia's big blue eyes as Carol spoke. The newborn was peering up at her curiously, as if she was trying to figure out who she was and why she was holding her. "Holding her makes so ready to meet Carl. I'm so ready to know what he's gonna look like. If he'll have my brown eyes or Rick's blue ones. Will he be bald like I was when I was born or have a head full of curly hair like Rick did." She pauses and studies Sophia's features intently. "I suppose she got your eyes."

"Maybe," Carol comments, her voice almost weary. "But her eye color won't truly set in for a few months. Ed had brown eyes. So, hers could be brown, or maybe even green."

"Am I ever gonna stop sticking my foot in my mouth," Lori groaned and shook her head. "Even if they don't stay blue, her eyes still remind me of yours," she continues," they're so expressive."

"I noticed that, too," Carol agrees with a fond smile. "Well, I don't know about my own eyes being expressive, but Sophia's are." She chuckles to herself. "At least what little time she's awake anyway. Last night while I was holding her and talking to her, she kept looking at me as I spoke. Sometimes she'd make these little movements with her mouth and it would look like she was trying to smile at me." Carol shook her head. "I know that's ridiculous and she can't smile yet, but it was the most precious thing. And then she grabbed my finer and held onto it, and I swear, Lori, I felt like me entire heart was wrapped up in her tiny little hand."

Lori's eyes flitted away from Sophia momentarily and met Carol's. The woman was gazing at her daughter so adoringly and doting on the baby girl so much that Lori's longing to meet her son only intensified.

"Well, maybe not quite my whole heart," Carol quietly added. "A pretty big piece of it was sleeping right beside me."

"You love him, too." Lori stated knowingly, a proud smirk lingering on her lips.

Carol nodded. "I knew I did before Sophia was born. I wasn't going to tell him because I thought it was too soon and I wasn't sure how he'd react. I didn't wanna scare him off or ruin what we had. I think it's just something he had to first in our relationship." Carol smiled to herself again, thinking about her relationship with Daryl. "I know it may seem like I'm complaining a lot about the c-section, and I probably complained about the pregnancy and the circumstances around it, especially when you first met me, but I'm glad things happened the way they did. As much as I can't stand Ed, he gave me Sophia and I love her more than life itself, and my pregnancy with her led me to Daryl. And even if this c-section business sucks, I think it's bringing us closer together."


	54. Chapter 54

Daryl is laying on the cold tile floor of the hospital, tinkering away with his swiss army knife at the portable food tray with that he ate he most recent meal on. The top of the tray, the part that holds the food, is loose on one side, and when he'd set his plate on top of it, his soda collapsed onto the floor, his food damn near fell off too, he'd been able to catch the plastic plate with on hand, salvaging his tuna surprise and green beans that came straight from the cafeteria on the lowest level of the hospital. Though he had to admit, it wouldn't have been much of a loss if the food hit the floor. He missed the home cooked meals he'd grown used to Carol making, just thinking about the last meal she cooked before Sophia was born; black eyed peas, collard greens, and pork-lion, left his mouth watering. He knew she wouldn't be cooking any time soon, and he damn sure didn't expect her to after giving birth, but he sure was gonna hate living off pizza again the next few weeks.

"You're so restless," Carol commented with a light chuckle as she stepped out of the hospital bathroom. She'd just finished taking a quick shower after she and Daryl finished their less than appetizing supper. She turned her head from the comical image of Daryl laying on the nasty hospital floor to the corner of the room, her eyes darting to the bassinet Sophia was sleeping.

The little one had been asleep for the past hour and a half now, and if Carol had to guess, that meant there was still about thirty-minutes to an hours-worth of sleep left in her daughter. She'd used that knowledge of the newborn's schedule to plan her shower, she found she did that with most things the past two days since her child was born. Planning meals, hygiene, and even her own naps around the 6 lb. 2 oz. being that she new now controlled her life. There was an instinctual urge within Carol, an inborn need to access Sophia any time she let out even the tiniest whimper and scoop her up in her arms to find a way to quell the cries, which is why she was trying to plan her life around the baby girl's need. It's why even though she knew her daughter was ore than likely going to be asleep for two hours and she should have plenty of time to shower and relax, she'd still left the bathroom door open, just in case Sophia cried and Carol needed to get to her in a moments notice.

Hershel and Anette laughed at Carol's mama bear instinct telling her it was common for all first-time mother's but in time she'd learn to let her baby "cry it out" so to speak. But the idea of her own flesh and blood crying and not rushing in to soothe her daughter unnerved Carol.

Daryl hummed to himself as he tightened the last screw. She was right. He was restless. Restless as hell. In fact, he thought he might go out of his damn mind before Carol finally got to go home. He didn't know what he'd do if he ever had to be confined to a bed as much as she had the past two days. At least he was free to pace the room or tinker with shit. "Don't like being cooped up," he muttered pushed himself off the floor.

Carol shot him a sympathetic look. "Why don't you go home for the night?" I know it's late, but there's lights in the shed, you could probably tinker with your bike for a while."

He huffed and shook his head as he moved to sit on the tiny fold out couch. "Ain't going nowhere," he insisted. Hell, he hadn't even stayed gone more than thirty-minutes earlier when Rick visited and brought those cigars, he'd only stayed outside long enough with his friend to smoke two of them, then ran down to the cafeteria and picked up food for him and Carol. The only reason he'd even felt comfortable staying gone that long was because he knew Lori was with her.

"What in the world are you gonna do when you have to go back to work in two days and Sophia and I go stay at Uncle Hershel's and Aunt Anette's for two weeks," Carol chuckled. She walked across the room, coming to a stop beside Daryl. She stared out the window of her second-floor room, her eyes landed on the small pond with a walking track that was in front of the hospital. Security lamps illuminated the track and she could make out a couple walking below. She longed to be outside again. To go on walks again. She was feeling restless, too.

Daryl pressed his thumb and index finger together and studied them hard as a way to avoid Carol's gaze. "Been thinking about that…" He hesitantly began.

"About what?"

"Got a lot of vacation time left…think about 120 hours."

She turned away from the window and stared at him.

He felt the weight of her gaze and slowly lifted his head in her direction. "Could use some of that time. Say, maybe about two weeks?"

"Did Lori tell you to do that?" Carol asked carefully.

"What?" Daryl's voice was genuinely confused. "Nah. Why you think that?"

"It's just…" She sighed. "You don't have to, Daryl. You don't."

"Know I ain't gotta," he replied. "Want to." He paused and swallowed, his saliva felt thick, like he might choke on it. He couldn't help but consider the fact that maybe she was tired of being around him so much. Maybe she didn't wanna spend two straight weeks with him without a break.

Carol didn't miss the hurt in Daryl's eyes or the way his eyes flitted to the floor and how his right leg began shaking. She shook her head and stepped in front of him, then slowly slid herself in his lap, wincing slightly at the pain from her incision, but biting it back for the moment to comfort him. She kissed his cheek and then cupped his chin and titled it up until he met her eyes. "I love you, Daryl," she told him softly. It was only the second time she'd said those words to him, and even though he didn't say it back, she watched his lower lip tremble from the weight of that statement as she held his face in the palm of her hand. "I just don't ever want you to feel like you have to do something for me. For Sophia. You've been so good to us already. Done more than I ever expected you to, staying with us like this. Taking care of me so I can take care of my daughter. I don't wanna ever wanna take advantage of you."

The accusation Merle made against Carol when she first met him still rang in her ears sometimes. The one where he accused her of trying to trap Daryl into being her husband and a father to her child. She never wanted anyone to think that's what she was doing, and more importantly, she never wanted Daryl to feel like that was her intention with him. The past two days he'd played the role a husband would to his wife while she was stuck in this hospital, he'd played the role of a new father sticking close to his daughter. If he took two weeks off work just to help Carol recover from her c-section, that would be going above and beyond what some husbands and fathers even dreamed of doing. It wasn't fair for him to have to do that."

"You ain't," he insisted. "I ain't nobody's doormat, Carol. You ain't ever asked me to do shit, I'm here 'cause I wanna be. I work my ass off and I ain't ever gonna use that time before next year no way. Heard you tell Annette yourself this morning that you rather go home. Get Sophia settled into her own place. Makes the most sense to do that. All her stuff's there, all your stuff's there, all my stuff's just a few feet away from yours, this way no one gets put out and I get some time off work and get the peace of mind of knowing my girls are at home and alright."

She nuzzled into the crook of his neck, and wrapped her arms around him, grinning from ear to ear at his choice of words. "You sure you wanna put up with me for two whole weeks? Answering to my every beck and call?" She teased lightly.

He grunted. "You ain't so bad. Still a hell of a lot easier to deal with than Merle. Both of ya are."

She laughed to herself. "That's two whole weeks of me looking like this." She was currently wearing an oversized pair of pajama bottoms, one of Daryl's t-shirts, and a pair of compression stockings on her feet, she hadn't even bothered to blow dry her hair after getting a shower and she knew her damp hair was soaking through the shirt he had on. On her way out of the bathroom she'd caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror, her eyes were puffy, and she had dark purple circles underneath them. The word shaving definitely wasn't in her vocabulary for the next several weeks. She wasn't sure how Daryl could stand to look at her these days, let alone want to spend ever all day every day looking at her for the next two weeks. She had no doubt she looked just as worn out as she felt. "I doubt you'll ever wanna kiss me again."

"Stop," he mumbled as he kissed the crown of her head. His lips moved down to her forehead, then her nose, her left cheek, then her right cheek, until they finally captured her lips. His tongue snaked out over her lips until she parted them for him, and he slowly teased her tongue with his. She tasted like mint toothpaste and he probably tasted like tuna surprise. It was the first proper kiss they'd shared since Sophia was born, and damn if he hadn't missed kissing her like that. "Ain't never not gonna wanna kiss ya," he assured her. His strong arms wound tightly around her small frame and he placed one final kiss on top of her head, and with a raspy voice, he whispered, "I love you, too"


	55. Chapter 55

"Are you sure you don't wanna come stay with us? Not even for at least a week?" Annette asked Carol for what felt like the hundredth time the next morning. Her aunt and uncle had come to the hospital to pick Carol and Sophia up for their discharge. It had been so late last night when she and Daryl decided he would take two weeks off from work to help tend to her and Sophia that they decided they would tell Hershel and Anette in the morning, besides, Daryl still technically had to ask the older man if it was okay if he extended his vacation and use his time.

"I appreciate the offer so much," Carol told her aunt sincerely. "And I love you both so much. But I really just wanna settle in with Sophia in our home. I wanna sleep in my bed. And it will be less trouble this way, we don't have to haul a bunch of her stuff and my stuff to your place. Daryl's bedroom is less than a hundred feet from my side of the house, so he can come and go without really going."

"But…sweetheart," Anette sighed. "I wanna be there for you the way your mama would if she was still here. I wanna help you transition into your new role as a mother and help you settle into your new life the way I know she would have. I wanna be there for Sophia the way I know Evelyn would have been."

Carol's bottom lip quivered at the mention of her mother; the birth of her own daughter renewed a dull ache in her heart for the woman who gave her life. Sophia's middle name came from Carol's mother. Sophia Evelyn Greene. And Carol wished more than anything her mother could be here to see her first and only grandchild. She wished her mother could give her tips on breastfeeding, maybe she'd have the words of wisdom that would help Carol finally get the girl to latch. Maybe she'd be able to relieve the guilt she felt over not brining her child into the world naturally, not seeing her take her first breath. But the fact was, Carol's mother wasn't here, and though Annette was a wonderful substitute, nothing could quite fill that gap and ease that ache. "And you will be," Carol told her aunt resolutely. "I know you will. You and uncle Hershel will be like grandparents to Sophia, you'll be the only grandparents she knows. And as much as I miss my mom, the thing is, I'm a mom myself now. I have a family of my own. And I just wanna start my life as a family in my _own_ house. That doesn't mean you're not welcome to visit any time you want during the day, and I'll probably call you at all sorts of odd hours in the middle of the night," Carol chuckled, "but this is something I need to do. For me. _For us."_

"I could stay at your place," Anette offered, seeing her only niece wasn't going to budge but feeling a maternal need to be there in case Carol needed her on her new journey. "Just a few days even, so you have a chance to recover a bit more."

"Sweetheart," Hershel butted in, placing a gentle hand on Anette's shoulder. "I think Carol and Daryl can handle this. Sophia's in good hands with her mama." His eyes drifted to Daryl, who was standing beside Carol as she was perched in the window of her hospital room, the boy was worrying his bottom lip with his teeth and he kept kicking his left leg back and forth. He knew Annette's words probably had him second guessing his ability to care for Carol and the infant the next fourteen days. He quickly added, "And Carol's in good hands with Sophia. If they need us for anything, they'll give us call. Isn't that right, son?"

Daryl met the older man's eyes and nodded. "Carol knows what to do, been doing a damn good job with Soph. Just needs a hand here and there with some stuff for a while. I can take care of that. Washing clothes and dishes and shit. Making sure she eats. Getting the bottles ready. I can take care of all that for a while."

Annette went to open her mouth again, but out of the corner of her eye she caught her husband's gaze and noticed the slight shake of his head, so she stopped herself. She had no doubt Daryl would help Carol with all those things. Lord knows she thought the world of the boy, but Annette also knew at some point during the next two weeks Carol would likely want a small break from Sophia. She might want a few extra hours of sleep here and there, some time alone in another room for an hour or so, and she'd need it. But as far as she knew, Daryl hadn't held Sophia yet, not once, and he'd need to know how told hold, change, and feed, and soothe her in order to give Carol one of those much needed, brief breaks. "Just promise you two will call us if you need us," Annette insisted. "No matter what time."

"We will," Carol assured her.

()()()

"There gonna be just fine," Hershel told his wife as they exited the hospital. Carol asked them if they could swing by her house and get Sophia's car seat, so they could take her home within the next hour, and they'd readily agreed.

Carol's hormones are gonna be all out whack for a while. I just think she needs a woman around right now. I think she needs someone who's been a mother to help guide her."

"And she has one. She'll call you if she needs you. And like she said, you're free to stop by every day. I'm sure she'll appreciate the visits and the help. But she's right, she has her _own_ family now, she just wants the three of them to settle in together, that's all."

"She and Daryl aren't married," she pointed out.

"No, they aren't." Hershel sighed heavily. "But that doesn't mean they aren't very much together, and it doesn't mean he loves Carol or Sophia any less because of it."

"He hasn't held her yet…"

"He will," he replied with certainty. "He just hasn't _had_ to yet. Give it another week and he probably won't put her down until he has to back to work," the old man chuckled.

()()()

As much as Carol hated pictures, she had to admit, she was grateful Maggie was making her take what felt like a hundred of them before leaving the hospital to head home. She knew she'd want to look back at these one day and show Sophia how loved she was and how excited she'd been to get her home. Even if she thought she was gonna look like shit in all of them.

Hospital policy required Carol to be wheeled to the car post c-section, and Maggie was kept snapping pictures of Carol in front of the curb in her wheel chair with Sophia in her arms. Hershel and Anette were in some with her. And then Maggie handed the camera off to Hershel and she and Glenn jumped in for their own set of photos with mom and daughter. She noticed Daryl standing awkwardly next to Maggie's car as the pictures were being snapped. Part of he wanted Daryl to be in these photos with her, but part of her wasn't sure what their future held and how she would explain Daryl's presence to Sophia one day. It seemed strange to think about showing her daughter a photo someday with a strange man in it who was no longer in their lives and dismissing him as her ex-boyfriend when he was present on one of the most important days of Carol's life.

But Carol also considered the fact Daryl very well could still be present in her life five, ten, or fifteen plus years from now. Their relationship was still very new, but he'd been there for her through hell and high water so far, and no matter what happened, she would always be grateful to him for how wonderful he'd been to her and she never wanted to forget that. And she didn't want him to feel left out, either. Because he was such an important part of her life right now. Even if something happened later, if one day he left her and changed his mind, she knew she would be able to look back at these photos and remember him as more than a simple boyfriend who was no longer in her life.

"Come here," Carol called out to Daryl, waving her hand to signal she wanted him standing next to her. His head perked up and his arms fell to his sides as he strolled over next to her, she met his eyes, smiled, and said, "Take a picture with us?"

"Sure you want me to?" Daryl asked hesitantly.

She nodded. "Of course, I do." And with that affirmation, Daryl grinned, stooped down on bended knee so he was level with the wheel chair, and proceeded to take a host of pictures with his girls. Carol's favorite was the one where they were kissing as she held Sophia in her arms, the little girl curiously looking up at them with bright eyes.

()()()

Daryl carried Sophia's car-seat, which happened to contain a sleeping Sophia, into Carol's house. He gently set the carrier down on the table, careful not to wake the baby girl up. "Well you're home," he announced once Carol was in the door and it was just the three of them inside."

"It feels so good to be home." She walked up behind Daryl and rested her head between his shoulder blades, inhaling his masculine scent as she nuzzled him.

He placed a hand over her clasped hands, which were resting just above navel. "Need me to do anything? Fix you something to eat or run you a bath?"

She shook her head. "I'm good for now. I think I might take a nap in a bit, though. I've missed my bed. Wanna join me?"

"Ain't too sleepy," he admitted, "but I don't mind laying with you, if you want me to."

No, that's okay. You don't have to. I know you've been sitting around a lot the last few days, you deserve some time to be up and moving around. I know you're off work for two weeks, but don't think I expect you to literally sit beside me every waking minute I'm good if you step away to work on your bike or even need a little time alone at your place."

He snorted. "Ain't got no plans for either of those things any time soon. But I do need to run to my room right quick and grab some clean clothes and shower stuff. Sick of using that girly shit." He'd used Carol's shower stuff while they were at the hospital and he ended up smelling like a fucking flower garden the last two days.

She giggled. "I was sort of getting used to you smelling like lavender instead of nicotine and crisp leaves."

"Stop," he grumbled.

"I'm kidding." She let go of him and pushed on his back lightly. "Go ahead and get your manly old spice. I'm gonna take Sophia out of her car-seat and put her in her bassinette." The hospital told her you shouldn't let babies sleep in their car-seat for long periods of time, something about it increasing the risk of aspiration, and as peaceful as her daughter looked, she would have to risk breaking the nap and angering her child rather than risk something happening.

()()()

While Daryl walked over to his place to get his stuff together, Carol had taken Sophia out of the car-seat and was currently holding her in her arms. Though, picking her child up elicited a few small grunts and cried at first, Sophia quickly settled down once she was in Carol's arms ashe swayed her daughter back and forth, saying, "it's okay, mama's got, you sweetheart," as she walked her daughter through the small house, introducing her to each room, until she finally reached the room that would belong to Sophia. "And this is gonna be your room," Carol continued as she stepped foot inside the door. She smiled as she looked around the room, thinking of how Daryl replaced the floors, painted the walls, and even helped her put together Sophia's crib. "You're lucky, it's probably the nicest room in the house," she chuckled. "Your da…" she began, but quickly paused, realizing that, once again, she'd almost absentmindedly referred to Daryl as Sophia's father. She really had to get a handle on that before she used that term in front of him and freaked him the hell out.

She didn't know why she kept slipping up and doing that. But she also didn't know what the hell to refer to Daryl as when speaking to Sophia. Saying mommy's boyfriend did this for you sounded silly and it failed to convey Daryl's connection and importance to Sophia herself in Carol's mind. For now, the term she settled on was simple enough in her own mind, even if was a bit cheesy sounding, but it wasn't like Sophia could understand her words right now anyway. So, Carol smiled and said, " _Our Daryl_ worked hard to put together this room for you. He painted the walls and put the floor down all by himself. He mostly put the crib and changing table together by himself, too, but mommy helped hand him tools and showed him where she wanted things to go. He's _so_ good to us, has been since even before you were born, and even if it takes him a while to hold you and get used to you physically being here, always remember that and never forget how much he loves you." She kissed the crown of her daughter's forehead as she smiled at the room once last time before stepping out of it.


	56. Chapter 56

They've officially been home from the hospital for almost three hours now and Carol and Sophia have been asleep for going on two of those hours now.

Daryl hasn't been entirely sure how to occupy his time while his girls slept. Truthfully, he probably needed to be sleeping to, he hasn't gotten much more sleep since Carol has since Sophia's been born, but he can't turn his mind off long enough to even entertain the thought of sleeping now that they are home. A slideshow of a never-ending to-do list plays out on his mind and has been ever since they walked through the door to the house. He lets his mind conjure up every single task he can think of Carol would normally do if she's able to do it.

First, he takes care of all the laundry piled in her laundry basket, knowing she likes to keep a clean house and doesn't want her to have to worry about washing clothes while she recovers. He even folds then and quietly tip-toes into her bedroom and puts them away, even though he isn't sure if he put them all in the right place, while she and Sophia snooze away. He walked in and out of that damn bedroom as inconspicuously as he would have walked through the woods when tracking a door, and it worked, because neither of them stirred during his quest.

Next, he washes the few dishes that are in her sink. They've been there since the morning before Sophia was born and they shared breakfast before 'babysitting' Merle all day. And he knows if Carol wasn't preoccupied with her adjustment to motherhood, recuperating from surgery, and her overall lack of sleep, the thought of leaving them in the sink that many days would irk her to no end. He curses to himself when two glasses clink together, fearful the noise would have woken one of them up, despite the fact he shut Carol's bedroom door before he began. But he breathes a sigh of relief when no cry erupts from the sleeping infant and he doesn't hear Carol get up from the bed. He almost thinks its sort of strange how that loud noise didn't disturb her, but the sound of Sophia grunting has woken her up from a seemingly deep sleep at least twenty times over the last few days.

Carol is an attentive mother. Her ears perk up at every noise Sophia makes and she hasn't missed a beat yet when it comes to meeting a single need of her daughter, though Daryl knows she would argue with him if he told her that because she hasn't been able to get that breastfeeding thing down. Her body makes milk, but the lactation counselor said it just isn't enough to give Sophia the nourishment she needs. And even if it was, the little girl just hasn't quite figured out what to do yet. They gave her some tips on how to promote latching and milk production, but so far Carol and Sophia are still struggling to get that part down together. He's watched her cry several times over the fact and it breaks his heart when admits to him she feels like a failure as a mother because she can't seem to do the most natural thing a mother should be able to do; feed her child from her own body.

But Daryl knows she's far from a failure at anything; least of all being a mother. He tells her that every time she gets upset about her problems breast-feeding, but he thinks she still has trouble believing him. Maybe her boobs haven't quite got the memo yet, but she's a damn good mama, the best example of a mother he's ever seen. She took to her daughter like it was a second nature. Like the child was a mere extension of her own self, a piece of her she holds in her arms that is now outside of her body. From the moment Sophia was born, Carol has known just how to hold her, just how to change, feed, and burp her, just the right way to soothe her cries with a tender voice as she rocks her in her arms. She looks at her daughter with an unbreakable love and bond in her eyes, and he knows that Sophia is the most important thing in the world to her.

It does something to him to see her have that relationship with her child. Something strange he can't quite pinpoint or describe. He thinks he may even love Carol more than he just realized he did as he watches her care and nurture her child in that natural, instinctual way she does.

He briefly wonders if his own mother ever felt that sort of love for him and Merle. It sure didn't seem like it from what he can remember of his life. If she did, he can't imagine she ever would have turned a blind eye to her husbands and boyfriends beating them. He knows Carol would never stand there and watch anyone lay a hand on Sophia. But he doesn't let himself linger on those thoughts for too long. Thinking of his childhood is painful, thinking of his own mother is even more painful. It wells up feelings he does his best to push away.

But his thoughts don't bounce back to happier times, they only drift to other deeply rooted feelings he does his best to keep at bay. He can't help but wonder if a father's love should be as natural as a mother's now that he's let himself open pandora's box. Wonders what his father thought the day his sons were born. Did the man ever have the urge to love and protect either boy with his life? Did he help their mother in any way? Did he even hold them? Was he even there when they were born? Has he thought about them since he left? Does he wonder where they are today? If they have children of their own?

Daryl isn't a father now, he knows that Sophia isn't _his_ child and he isn't gonna pretend she is, and he doesn't know what the fuck he's supposed to be to Carol's kid, what she wants him to be or do, or what the fuck he _should_ be feeling right now. But he is aware of what he _is_ feeling towards the little one. And it isn't just one feeling. It's a whole host of feelings he doesn't quite know how to process.

That child, that 6 lb. 3 oz little girl, that is merely rooms away from him at the moment, he knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that he would do anything to protect her. Knows he will do whatever it takes to make sure she has a good life. Knows he will help her mama in any way he can so that she can give her whatever she needs. He knows he's learning her cries and what they mean. He's starting to be able to distinguish the cry she makes when she needs changing from the one she makes when she's hungry. Knows that sometimes she doesn't even need any of those things and cries because she wants her mama to hold her close, and he's learning that cry, too. There's just a slightly different pitch in each of those squeals, but he hears it none the less.

And he damn sure knows if Carol looked him in the eye tomorrow and told him they were over, that he couldn't see that little girl ever again, he knows it would break his heart, and not just because he lost Carol. He'd always wonder about Sophia. Wonder if she was okay. Wonder is she was happy. What she

Though he hasn't held her yet, he knows she means something huge to him. Even if she terrifies the fuck out of him.

She's so fragile in more ways than one. She can't hold her head up. Carol told him she's got a soft spot on the top of her head where her skull hasn't fully closed yet and that you have to be careful of it, and that pretty much means there's a self-destruct button on the top of the kids head to him. And if those bits of information weren't scary enough, there's the fact that this kid is a completely blank slate. An innocent being who knows nothing and is waiting to be filled with information and experiences that will forever shape her life. And he doesn't wanna do anything wrong to fuck any part of that up. Can't fathom doing something to ever hurt the most important thing in the world to him, Carol, by hurting the most important thing in the world to her. So, he's been safely watching Sophia from a distance for now. Waiting and watching as he gauges everyone else's interactions with her, so when he's finally comfortable enough to interact directly with her himself, maybe he won't fuck up too bad.

()()()

Eventually, Daryl reigns his thoughts by forcing himself into a task to better occupy his mind. He doesn't think when he's busy and doing house work doesn't quite keep him as occupied as working with his hands does. So, he digs in the closet in Sophia's bedroom until he finds what he's looking for. He pulls out a box which contains all the parts needed to construct some sort of baby swing Carol got at her shower a week ago. They hadn't gotten around to putting it together yet, thinking Sophia still had a few more weeks before she made her grand entrance.

Daryl is more than thankful for the distraction, and he's almost done with the swing when he hears those familiar grunts and whimpers Sophia starts to make from the other room. He ignores them at first, assuming, like always, Carol will be up with her shortly and tend to whatever she needs.

But as the cries grow louder and needier, Daryl grows worried and bolts for the other room. He's half afraid something has happened to Carol in her sleep that has pretend her from instantly getting up and checking on her little girl the way she normally would. His eyes dart to her sleeping form as he enters her bedroom, and he breathes a heavy sigh of relief as he watches the steady rise and fall of her chest. Sophia continues to grunt and whimper louder and louder, and Carol groans, tosses lightly, but doesn't wake. Daryl's eyes flit to a clock on the wall, and he realizes Carol's only been asleep for about three hours now. Being in her own bed is likely more comfortable than sleeping in the hospital bed and she has to be worn out from all she's been through. She deserves to get more than three hours of sleep at a time for the next two weeks, and he suddenly realizes that's probably why Annette pushed for them to stay with her.

His eyes flit quickly between Sophia's bassinet and Carol's bed, an internal struggle going on in Daryl's mind as he fights with the urge to walk the child's mother or his need to help the woman he loves and tend to the child himself. He worries his bottom lip between his teeth, and in the end, he slowly walks over to the bassinet and, very, very carefully, scoops the child up in his arms.

He shakes as he holds her in his arms, being extremely mindful to support her head and neck, and though his arms tremble, he clings to the infant tightly as he tip-toes out of the bedroom and into the living room, so Carol can continue to sleep.

"It's alright," he whispers repeatedly as he walks with her in his arms, and maybe he's speaking to himself as well. "It's alright Soph," he continues to gently sooth the baby girl. "It's just me. I got you. Yeah, I got you sweetheart. Daryl's got you.".


	57. Chapter 57

"Remember me," Daryl murmurs softly to the whining baby girl in his arms? She hasn't settled down much since he picked her up only a moment ago, not the same way she sometimes stills the moment Carol puts her in her arms, but she hasn't started screaming bloody murder either.

"I'm the guy you used to kick the shit out of while you were in your mama's tummy," he continues, as he walks towards the kitchen with her in his arms. He tells himself it's to try sooth her until he's able to warm one those pre-made bottles up Carol put in the fridge, but maybe it's also helping to soothe his own nerves, because he doesn't think he's shaking quite as bad as he was when he picked her up. "You got some strong legs girl," he chuckles lightly to himself. Figure you're gonna be a kick boxer or one hell of a soccer player someday."

Sophia stops crying for a moment. Long enough to stare curiously towards Daryl's face. She squints an eye at him. Then blinks several times as she keeps her eyes trained in the direction of his face. She grunts but doesn't start to wail again. He takes it as a sign he should keep talking until he can feed her, because if he can keep her from crying he can keep her from waking Carol up. He just hopes like hell he can feed her right. He's watched Carol do it enough times now he thinks he knows what to do. Knows how she holds the bottle. Knows he has to burp her after. He can do this, right? "Know I ain't your mama," he mutters gently. "And I ain't got a clue what the hell I'm doing, but uh, me and you, we're gonna figure this out together so she can sleep. Alright? She's real tired. Been through a lot the last few days…and as much as she loves you, well she's gotta take care of herself too, so I'm gonna be here to help." He pauses and swallows, contemplating things before he speaks the next words out loud, but finally he decides he can say them, because Sophia doesn't know what the hell he's saying anyway, and somehow that makes it easier. "I love your mama, Soph. So damn much it scares the shit out of me."

Sophia still isn't crying when he pulls the refrigerator door open, and she lets him warm up the bottle without throwing a fit. When he's satisfied the milk is at a suitable temperature, he slowly makes his way to the couch and takes a seat with her in his arms before attempting to feed her. Every movement he makes is done gingerly, and his hands are once again shaking when he pops the nipple in her mouth, but she eagerly sucks away and he's sure to hold it the same way Carol always does, careful not to her get any air. He's not sure he's ever been more thankful for his keen observational skills as he is right then.

"You like that? Huh? You like that sweetheart?" Daryl coos as he watches her go to town on her meal. He feels proud of himself so far, only hopes he can figure out how to burp her right. Doesn't let himself consider that he's probably gonna have to change her before long. That part intimidates him the most and he isn't looking forward to it.

He smiles down at her as she continues to eat. Her hands come to a rest at the top of the bottle; they're so damn small. _She's_ so damn small. But in that moment, he feels like his fucking heart is wrapped in the palm of her hand. That warm fuzzy feeling her got when he first started liking Carol, it overwhelms him completely as he feeds her in his arms.

This tiny little being, who can't do anything for herself, who didn't ask to be here, who has no knowledge or right or wrong, good or bad, she's totally dependent on him in that moment for her survival. To provide her with nourishment. To hold her safely in his arms. To nurture her by holding her close and making her feel secure. And she must feel secure with him, because even though he isn't Carol, he isn't her mother, she's seemed content in his arms since he picked her up and started talking to him. She's seemed to trust that he was going to take care of her, or at least he tells himself that, because he's seen others hold her, and she didn't react as well to their touch. Kid screamed her head off first time Beth and her boyfriend held her in the hospital, but she didn't do that with him.

Suddenly, he feels a twinge of guilt for not holding her until now. Wonders if maybe she does know him by his voice because he's been around so much these last few months. "Sorry I ain't held you before today," Daryl confesses quietly as Sophia continues to feed in his arms. "Hell, truth is, you scare the hell out of me, too. More than your mama does…See, she's the first girlfriend I ever had. Didn't know what the hell I was doing when we started dating, but she was there to teach me. Help me figure things out. She's been real patient with me and I'm damn lucky for that. But you? Well, I ain't ever been around no kid before you. Ain't really had a daddy growing up to teach me what I'm supposed to do with one either."  
He growls low in the back of his throat at his own stupid choice of words. Knows Sophia doesn't understand him but doesn't get why he basically just told her he's her dad. "Shit, I ain't your daddy. Didn't mean it like that…it's just…" He shakes his head. "Your dad, he ain't around. He's an asshole. Mine was the same way, an asshole. Took off one me like yours did you, expect mine just waited until a few years after I was born. Anyway, I guess I missed out on a lot because of it. Never really learned how to be a man is what I'm trying to say. Never learned how a man should treat a woman and her kid." He hummed to himself. "Damn sure know how not to treat you, though. So, don't worry, long as I'm around, you ain't gonna see any of the shit I saw. Not even close."

Daryl feels like an idiot for talking so much. He's not even sure he's talked to Carol this much at once and part of him thinks it's fucking stupid to be babbling on to a four-day old child, but another part of him feels a heavy weight being lifted off his shoulders as he speaks, so he continues to talk to her. "Never had a family. Not a real one. Lots of men came in and out of my life after my old man left. Used to get excited the first few times. Hoping one of the assholes would be my new daddy and my mama and us would have a better life, except each son of a bitch kept getting meaner and meaner, then one day I stopped praying for a family and started praying my mama would quit looking for a man and get her shit together.

His bottom lip trembles as he's overcome with emotions he thought he'd long since buried. He bites down the urge to let those feelings overwhelm him and he clears his throat. "That ain't never happened though, and I gave up on ever having a normal life a long as time ago…that is, until I met your mama. He stares down at the dark-haired little girl in his arms. Her blue eyes are peering up at his and he can't believe how much she looks like her mama, despite her hair color. The shape of her eyes, her nose, her chin, her lips, those are all Carol. He finds a part of him wishes he met Carol before she got pregnant, he wishes that Sophia _was_ his. It's such a strange thought for a man who never wanted children or a woman to call his own even four months ago. But if he could snap his fingers and make it happen like that now, he would.

He can't change fate and he can't make himself Sophia's father, but he can be the best boyfriend to her mother than can be and he can be the best male figure in her little life that he knows damn well he's gonna learn how to be. Even if he has to talk to Rick and Hershel and God only knows who else along the way to figure out how to do that. And damn if he isn't gonna make sure he does.

"Think I got a family now," he mumbles, just above a whisper. "Me, you, and your mama. Think we're kinda a family. Maybe it ain't official and maybe it ain't perfect, but to me, y'all are everything." Maybe it's weird for a man to want a family made from a woman he's only known going on four months that has a newborn baby who belongs to another man, maybe he shouldn't be envisioning a future that contains the three of them somehow living happily ever after. It's probably stupid to let himself hang his hopes and dreams up on something that's still so new and could shatter, but for the first time in a long time, if not ever, he finally has something worth hoping and dreaming for, and he's gonna let himself start dreaming of the family he always wanted again, even if it's coming to him a lot later than he ever dreamed it would and in a way he never expected.

()()()

Carol bolts upright in bed, frantically scanning her eyes around the room. She feels too rested, knows she must have been asleep for at least five hours, if not more. That cant be, though. Sophia never sleeps more than four hours and her daughter's cries surely would have woken her by now. Her eyes dart to the clock on her night stand and she clasps a hand over her mouth when she realizes she's been asleep six hours.

She cries to herself as she realizes she must have slept through two feedings by now and God only knows how many wet diapers. What if Sophia has urine scold! Why isn't she crying? Oh God! Why isn't her daughter crying? She must be soaked and starving by now. She should be screaming her head off. What if something happened? What if something happened to her baby?"

She leaps across her bed in a fit of terror, desperately searching the bassinet to check on her daughter and praying she doesn't find a tragedy in that tiny white bed. She ignores the throbbing pain low in her gut her incision is giving her. And when she finds it empty, she lets out a heavy breath she didn't know she was holding, but that quickly vanishes when panic sets in wondering where Sophia could be.

Did she get up without realizing it? Did she place her in her crib? Why would she have done that? She's such a terrible mother, she doesn't even know where her daughter is or what she's done the past six hours. Annette was right, she should have stayed with them!

Carol runs out of her bedroom, tears in her eyes, snatching the door open and being hell bent on finding her daughter and putting the missing puzzle pieces together. She isn't expecting the sight before her at all when she steps out of her bedroom and into her living room and let's out a loud gasp at what she sees before her eyes.

()()()

Daryl's eyes pop open, startled by the unexpected noise, but careful not to bolt upright with a sleeping Sophia on his chest. One protective hand over her small back, he slowly sits up and meets Carol's eyes. His heart sinking into his stomach at her tear-filled eyes.

"You're…you're holding her," Carol stammers, a look of sheer disbelief written on her face.

His eyes flit between the sleeping infant and his girlfriend he worries his lower lip with his top teeth. "Sorry," he mutters, his voice deflated. "Won't do it again. Was just trying to help. Thought you needed sleep." He moves to stand, fiercely clutching Sophia to his chest as he does so, not wanting to drop her but feeling an intense need to place the babe with her mother, so she's stop crying. He shouldn't have picked her up without asking. Should have known Carol wouldn't trust him alone with the most precious thing in the world to her. He should have woken her up himself. Or better yet, insisted she go home with Annette.

"No!" Carol insists, shaking her head rapidly, feeling awful for the look she just caused him to have and making him question himself. She wipes a tear from her the corner of her eye and takes a seat beside him on the couch. "I'm glad you're holding her…I _want_ you to hold her…I just didn't know where she was, and I freaked out. I slept so long. I can't believe I slept so long. Has she eaten? Do you need me to change her? How long has she been awake?" Her questions come out fast, relief mixed with happiness fills her heart at the sight before her; the man she loves holding her daughter. She hopes she doesn't sound concerned, she's just still in shock Daryl is holding Sophia, imagined it may take a month before he was comfortable enough to do such a thing and figured she'd have to help him. Can't imagine he tackled holding her, feedings, and changing diapers all in a few hours while she slept.

"She ate twice," he replied. "Changed her too. She pissed the second time and it got on my hand some before I could get the damn diaper on."

Carol stifles a chuckle and raises a curious brow. "You did all of that?" Her voice is surprised, but more so touched that he did those things.

He nods. "Been watching you. Listening to what the nurses told you. Wasn't as hard or scary as I thought it was gonna be. I'm observant."

She smiles and brushes the side of his face with her hand and says, "Yes, you are." She leans in and kisses his forehead. "I can't believe you did all of that. You didn't have to."

"Wanted to," he mutters.

She swallows. Can't believe how damn lucky she is right now. Can't believe how much she loves him and that little girl of hers. She feels like her entire heart is sitting right there in front of her and she sobs again. She shakes her head when Daryl looks concerned and assures him, "these are happy tears, I promise." He seems to accept her answer, because the worry fleas from his eyes, even if her tears seem to make him uncomfortable.

"You hungry?" Daryl asks, trying like hell to change the subject and hoping it stops her water works.

She nods and wipes at her eyes, still grinning from ear to ear.

"Got pizza. Glenn delivered it."

"We had plenty of food Annette dropped by before I went to sleep," Carol points out.

"I know," Daryl nods. "But I may have needed a little help with the whole diaper thing. Ain't exactly got the same parts she does and didn't know what the hell to do. Talks about his sister's kid a lot and figured he might have a clue."


	58. Chapter 58

"I'm sorry I haven't come by sooner," Andrea tells Carol as she holds Sophia in her arms, rocking back and forth in a wooden rocking chair Hershel brought by Carol's house two days ago. The rocking chair was one that belonged to Hershel and Carol's father's parents. One that passed down to their sons and that all their grandchildren had been rocked in, one Carol would now rock Sophia in. "I just wanted to wait for the three of you to get settled in before I came by," Andrea continued. "I can't imagine what an adjustment having this precious little peanut in your life has been, especially after all you went through to get her here."

Carol smiles at her friend and gives a small nod of understanding. Afterall, she's only been home from the hospital five days, Sophia is only eight days old, and Carol is appreciative that Andrea gave her new little family time to settle and adjust before barging in. It is a curtesy friends of her aunt and uncle and people who were friends with her mother have not allowed her. So many people stopped by the two days following their discharge. People Daryl practically growled away when he answered the door. Fearful of all the germs they might expose little Sophia to and unimpressed with their lack of respect by just dropping in and not calling first. "It's more than fine, I promise. I'm just getting to where I don't want to sleep all day and the pain is starting to subside." She chuckles lightly to herself. "I'm sure Daryl's thankful I'm able to do more for myself and Sophia."

This time, Andrea is the one smiling. "He's a little mother hen, isn't her?" When she and Merle arrived to visit the trio earlier, Merle practically had to drag Daryl out of the house and into the small shed in their backyard to get the guy to take a break from tending to his girls. To Andrea, it seemed as if the boy was convinced they might up and disappear if he walked away for more than five minutes. She assured him she would keep an eye on both Carol and Sophia while he was outside with his brother tinkering with his bike, Carol needed anything done she couldn't yet do, that she herself would see to it to help her.

"He's so wonderful, Andrea," Carol tells her friend. "To me and Sophia. He took right to her and there's almost nothing he won't do for her or for me. I don't think I could ask for me if he actually was her father." She shakes her head. "But I don't want him to get burnt out. To feel like we're smothering him. So, I'm glad he's gone outside with Merle to mess with his bike for a while. He needs some time to himself, too."

"I think Daryl's spent enough of his life having time to himself," Andrea concludes as her eyes flit down to the sleeping infant in her arms. She stares in awe at the head full of dark hair, at how the baby's lips, nose, and chin are mirror reflection of the woman sitting across from her.

A thought occurs to Carol. One she hasn't investigated before. "How long have you known Daryl and Merle?"

"Hmmm?" Andrea pauses and thinks hard for a moment. "Going on two years now, maybe? I ran into them at the bar not long after they moved here."

"Wow! And you've been hooking up with Merle ever since?" Carol is shocked by that answer. She'd always assumed Merle and Andrea's fling was relatively new.

The blond shrugs. "Off and on. Most of the time more off than on."

Carol peers around the room, making sure Daryl nor Merle have somehow snuck their way quietly back inside. "Did you ever want more? Even in the beginning?"

"Carol Ann," she gives her a pointed look," how often have you ever known me to want more?"

"Not often," Carol chuckles. "Maybe with Shane Walsh? At some point? Back in high school?"

Andrea shrugs. "Maybe…but that ship never sailed far… Me and merle, we're just not the settling kind. How things are with us, it's better that way."

"Most people would have thought Daryl wasn't the settling kind either," Carol argues. Her eyes happily find their way to her daughter and she smiles at how he has so quickly settled into his role in their life.

"That's because most people don't really know Daryl," Andrea counters," but you do, and after knowing him the way you do now, I think we can all agree he was just waiting for the right person to settle down with." She shakes her head at one of her oldest friends. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you were trying to play cupid with for me and Merle. Didn't you get the memo that we don't even like each other when we aren't fu-," she abruptly stops herself when she remembers she is holding Sophia. She knows the baby can't understand her right now but wants to get into the practice of watching her language around the child, so it won't be harder to filter herself as the little girl grows. She settles on, "boning," instead.

Carol snickers. "Well, if you were in a real relationship and not just going by the bet Daryl one, no one would stop you from doing that to work out your issues." Andrea glares at her and Carol relents. "I just feel grateful for Merle for helping me find happiness with Daryl and I think you two are surprisingly cute together and I love you and want you to find happiness, too. So, sue me for trying to play match-maker."

"I am happy, Carol.," Andrea assures her friend. "I'm happy I have a great job I love. I'm happy one of my oldest friends moved back to town and I get to watch her adorable daughter grow up; I'm happy she found a quirky but great guy that cherishes both of them. I'm happy my sister is living a good life and about to finish college, all while seeing the world. I'm happy I get to travel and be free without anyone or anything tying me down. And I'm happy I get to have a purely physical relationship that offers me mind-blowing sex with the hot-headed red-neck that lives next door to you and who I don't have to worry about hurting or hurting me because we both know there's no string attached. Merle's a feral cat, and you don't get attached to feral cats, honey, because no matter how much love you show them, they'll still claw your eyes out if you get too close."

Merle used that same feral cat analogy to Carol when comparing himself to Daryl and she can't help but wonder if he's told Andrea something similar about himself to keep her at arms-length. But she doesn't press the issue, because if Andrea says she is happy with how things are, it isn't Carol's place to force something that isn't meant to be.

()()()

"Damn boy," Merle snickers as he and Daryl tinker away at the classic bike Daryl hasn't had time to touch in almost three weeks. "You done turned into a house bitch, ain't you?" He's poking fun at his baby brother because when he walked in the door with Andrea to visit them earlier, his brother was washing dishes and preparing a bottle while Carol changed her daughter.

"Ain't nobody's bitch," Daryl growls. He doesn't find it funny that his brother is making fun of how much he's been helping Carol. Especially after the shitty way men treated them and their mother. He thinks Merle of all people should respect what he's doing, though he should have known better, Merle's never shown much respect to anyone or anything.

"Come on," Merle's tone softens, noticing the change in his brother's and body language after his comment. "Can't you take a joke?"

Daryl hums. "Just not when it comes to my family," he mutters lowly.

The corner of Merle's lip twitches into a grin at how freely Daryl stated that fact. He assumed it would take Daryl far longer to assert himself into that category with Carol and Sophia but then it makes his chest tighten when he thinks of the fact that Daryl could have lost Carol and Sophia at the hospital barely over a week ago. He doesn't think the boy would have ever gotten over that. He wonders briefly if the good deed he thought he was doing by pushing Daryl towards those girls could backfire in his face someday. Not by Carol walking out with the child, but by life robbing his little brother of them like it had robbed them both of most good things. "She uh, she tell you that? That the three of you are a family?"

Daryl stops what he's doing, his tool falling to the floor with a loud clank as his eyes find Merle's and they are now filled with uncertainty. "Not exactly," he admits, the confidence that left his mouth with the previous statement is gone completely. Maybe Carol said something to Andrea about not wanting Daryl to be part of their family. Maybe she told Andrea she was tired of him being around so much. Maybe that's why she pushed him to come out to the garage with Merle this evening, to get a break from him. He'd just sort of assumed after Hershel's comment at the hospital that it was true the three of them were sort of a family, albeit an un-conventional one, but family none the less, the first real one he ever had.

Merle sees it, the tiny crack that opens in Daryl's mind, that hidden part if his brain he's been working so damn hard to shut down and move past. Knows it wouldn't take much to plant a few seeds of doubt and that would open that crack up and swallow all the progress Carol and Daryl made together whole. He could plant those seeds and send Daryl running before some fucked up force of nature robbed his baby brother of Carol and that little girl and left him more broken than he already was. Instinct bubbles in Merle's mind for the briefest moment, telling him it makes more sense to run before you get burnt. But then images of Daryl holding that little girl this morning fill his mind, images of him feeding her and rocking her to sleep. Images of that goofy, adoring look Carol had in her eyes the whole time he held her little girl, of how she walked over and pecked him on the cheek right there in front of Merle himself and Andrea, and how unbothered Daryl had been by such open displays of affection. And Merle recalls he pushed his brother towards this relationship in the first place, encouraged it and calculated opportunities to progress it, and he decides it isn't fair to sabotage it over something that may not happen to them.

He determines in the end he can't control fate, and even if he could, Daryl needs them, and they need him. They need him the same way the brothers and their mother wanted and needed someone like Daryl in their life, and it isn't fair to anyone to try and take that away for self-protection, especially when Daryl doesn't seem to want to protect himself from any of it when it comes to them.

"Was just wondering if ya'll talked about all that with each other yet," Merle dismisses to his brother. "You know, the what ya'll are to each other and all. Ain't meant nothing by it."

Daryl worries his lip. "What do you mean, like if we said I love you and shit?"

Merle nods. "Yeah, yeah. All that sappy shit. Just wondering if you either of you had the balls to say to each other what everyone else sees."

"We said it," Daryl informs his brother. Not willing to say the words out lout right then. "Told her and she told me back. The night Sophia was born." They don't say the words daily, not like he's sure Maggie and Glenn do, like Hershel and Annette must do, and any other normal couple, but he says them to her when he can allow himself to say them. And he tells her back when she tells them, he wouldn't deny her that. It's just hard to say hose three words. He isn't used to using those eight letters with anyone.

"Good," Merle nods. He reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a can of dip. He places the Grizzly winter green inside of his lip and extends the can to his brother, who then shakes his head. He savors the minty tobacco in the inside of his lip and then spits. He lets the nicotine buzz hit him before he says what he needs to say, because he isn't so damn sure he can get the words out, isn't the kinda brother who gives wise advice or says warm and fuzzy things, but he thinks he needs to say this. Just wishes he had some alcohol to make the words come out easier. "You're ah, you're a…a…ah…damn fine daddy to that little one. You know that, right?"

Daryl stares at his brother like he has two heads and snorts. "Ain't her daddy."

"Yeah?" Merle arches a brow. "Because you're sure as shit could've fooled me. Doing everything a daddy should do."

"Just being a good boyfriend to Carol. Just treating the kid right."

"And that's what the hell a good daddy would do!" Merle barks. "Damn sure more than her real daddy's doing or ever will do. More than our own bastard old man ever did for either of us, even before he tucked tail and ran."

The younger Dixon pushes himself up off the concrete, he can't sit still anymore. This conversation is a lot and the fact that he's having it with his brother is even harder to comprehend. He paces, all the while shaking his head. Has he wished Sophia was his? Sure, if he had a choice, he does wish the child was his. He would gladly accept her as his, but he and Carol hadn't been together long. She'd never come out and said she wanted him to be Sophia's father, that she wanted him in their life forever and to make an assumption himself that he was going to be her fathers was far too bold of a suggestion for him to make to her. It would hurt too much to hear Carol say she didn't want that if he suggested it. And it would hurt too damn much to take on that role only to one day have it be taken away if Carol ever left him.

"Relax," Merle growls. "Ain't meant to freak you out like that. Just, hell, I dunno, figured you already saw yourself as the kid's old man. Hell, figure Carol does too after all you've done for 'em. Y'all ain't exactly playing house here, and she ain't the kinda woman who's gonna take advantage of what you're doing. If she's letting you do all this, spend time with her kid like that and get that close, I'm sure as shit she sees you just as serious as you do her."

He stops pacing and stares at his older brother. "You really think so?"

Merle nods. "Yeah, I do."

He pauses and growls. "How do I know when it's time to bring it up? You know? When it's time to tell her I've been thinking about that kinda stuff? The future for the three of us and all? What we are to each other? I mean, Rick didn't even ask Lori to marry him until she was about ready to pop with his kid."

"Does it look like I ever gave a girl a ring before in my life?" Merle huffs.

Daryl glares. "You're not fucking help here!"

Look," Merle sighs. "Rick didn't ask Lori before because she's a bitch, and those two, well they ain't gonna last, and you damn well know it. The two of them, they're only trying for the kid. But it ain't meant to be. We both know someday he's gonna end up with that sexy, exotic looking partner of his." He pauses, expecting Daryl to defend Rick and Lori's relationship, but when he doesn't, he continues with, "you, Carol, and Sophia, the three of you are family by choice, not circumstance. And I ain't saying you should run out and ask her to marry you and adopt the kid, but hell brother, we both know that's where this is headed, she does too, trust me. And when the time comes for all that, you're gonna know."

"But how?"

"You'll just know," Merle assures him. "But don't be a dumbass and rush it in the long run. Just keep doing what you're doing, because you're doing damn good at it, and uh, well, fuck, I'm proud of you," he spouts out, almost too quick for Daryl to understand what he'd just said. When his brother stares at him, dumbfounded but clearly emotional and grateful to have processed what was just said to him, he shakes his head and gruffly mutters, "now let's get back to work on this here before you gotta go inside and start being a house bitch again."

()()()

That night, after Merle and Andrea are in gone, Carol, Daryl, and Sophia are laying in Carol's bed. Sophia is on Daryl's chest and her tiny palm is wrapper around on his fingers. Carol is curled up next to him, clutching his arm and her head curled into his neck.

"Did you have fun with your brother earlier," she whispers to him, keeping her voice low enough it won't disturb her sleeping daughter.

"Mmhmm. Missed working on my bike," he admits.

"You know, you can go out there anytime," she tells him. "I'm healing pretty well. Can do more and more for myself and Sophia each day. You don't have to stay cooped up in here with us."

He turns his neck and kisses the top of her head. "Ain't so bad being cooped up in here. Kinda like y'all."

She smiles to herself. She reaches a finger out and traces a single finger along Sophia's back as she sleeps. "We're so lucky to have you."

"Stop," he mutters, feeling overwhelmed.

"We are," she insists. She shifts her body enough to lightly nibble his ear lobe and seductively whispers, "And as soon as I can, I'm gonna show you just how much I appreciate you."

His entire body stiffens.

Carol pulls away from him, props up her on elbows, and stares deep into his eyes. "What's wrong?" She knows she isn't much to look at right now. Her tummy is puffy and deflated from the c-section, she has bags under her eyes from exhaustion, there's a hideous, angry scar below her navel, and her boobs are saggy and engorged, she's sure the thought of anything sexual to him must be repulsive to her and she can't help but wonder from that reaction if he'll ever want to see her naked again.

"Don't gotta," he mumbles.

"Don't gotta what?"

"Fuck me or whatever it is you're thinking of doing as some kinda payment for what I've done for y'all."

She blinks several times, trying to process what he's just said, and then it hits her, his mother often exchanged sexual favors with men in return for care for financial care her and her children. That simple wording must have poked some deeply rooted wound with him. "I know that," she insists calmly, trying to hide the hurt in her voice that he would even think that's what she meant. "And I know you're not expecting anything in return for what you're doing for us, I know you're doing it because you care, and believe me, you're doing a damn fine job." She reaches out and brushes his cheek with the back of her hand. "But I do want to thank you for it, in so many ways, and I would like to thank you for it in a special way I've never 'thanked' you before, because I couldn't quite make it work comfortably for me while I was pregnant," she smiles weakly. "When I'm able, if you'll let me."

His brows rise suggestively, and she can see the curiosity there. "Yeah?" He hoarsely asks. "I mean, you wanna do that at some point?"

She nods. "I do. But not because I think I _owe_ you," she insists. "Because I _love_ you and I want to."

He swallows and looks away shamefully. "I didn't…didn't mean it like it came out. I mean, I don't…I know you're not a hooker or nothing. It's just…my mama…she…"

"I know." She stokes his face again, "I know." She scoots up and kisses his forehead. "But I'm not your mother. You're so important to me, you mean so much to me. To _us_."

He pauses for so long Carol thinks he isn't gonna speak again, until he does. "I miss mama sometimes," he confesses. "Don't know why after all she put us through, but I do." His eyes flit to Sophia. "Think about my old man sometimes too. Wonder if he's alive. Especially now…" He chokes out, "Don't know how he left her…how he left _us_. I couldn't…" He tries to tell her he couldn't leave her, that he couldn't leave Sophia, but somehow, those words don't work their way out his mouth, they catch in his throat.

She strokes his hair, not sure of what to say and knowing no words can fix what he's feeling.

"Didn't mean it," he continues, his voice shaky. "To compare you to her. You're a good mama, damn good mama. Good girlfriend. More than I could ever ask for."

"It's okay," she soothes. "It's okay."

He sucks in several deep breaths and clears his throat. Sophia roots on his chest but doesn't wake up. "Shit. Ain't you the one that supposed to be emotional right now? The hell's wrong with me?"

"I am emotional," she laughs. "Every single day. How many times have I cried since we got home?"

"Like eight hundred," he snorts.

"And you've held me every time I've cried. When I cried because I couldn't pump. When I cried because I couldn't get Sophia to stop crying. When I cried because I missed my mom so much and just wanted her here to see my grandchild, you held me and wiped my tears away. You didn't even get mad or laugh at me when I cried because I forgot what day it was. You just stayed there and held me until I stopped. Sometimes you're gonna have to be there for me and sometimes I'm gonna have to be there for you. It's what we do. And sometimes we'll have to be there for Sophia when she's upset, and one day she'll be there for us. It's all part of being a family, we hold each other up when one of us needs an extra hand."

He swallows. "That what we are, a family?" His words don't come out as much of a question as they do as him asking for confirmation from her.

"We are," she assures him. "If you want us to be," she adds quietly. "Maybe not in the traditional way, but the three of us, I think we're becoming a family here. Even if maybe we don't have the same labels other families do, right now, I still think you're part of mine and Sophia's family; a very important part."

"I want that," he agrees quietly. "For the three of us to be a family. He kisses the crown of Sophia's head and then turns gently and finds Carol's lips. "I love y'all," he softly tells her.

"And we love you," she grins.


	59. Chapter 59

**THIS IS A SIX YEAR TIME JUMP AND A LOT HAS CHANGED IN THESE SIX YEARS. I KNOW, I KNOW. I FEEL EVIL FOR DOING IT. BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, I WOULD NEVER END THIS STORY IF I DIDN'T MAKE MYSELF AND I'VE BEEN WRITING IT FOR OVER TWO YEARS NOW, SO IT'S JUST TIME. I PLAN TO DO ONE MORE CHAPTER THAT FOLLOWS UP ON THIS ONE AND THEN WE'LL BE DONE WITH THIS LITTLE WORLD.**

"Swing me higher! Please? I wanna go higher!" six-year old Sophia begged, as she giggled with delight.

"If I swing you any higher, you're gonna fly right on over the roof, Soph," Daryl replied with any easy smirk.

The girl's bottom lip poked out and she continued to try and persuade him. "Please daddy? Pretty please with lots of sugar and a cherry on top?"

"Reckon I can't say no to all that sweetness, can I?" He replied, grabbing the ropes of the swing and pulling her back as far as he deemed safe, then releasing her with a powerful push, one he was glad her mother couldn't see at the moment. The slight upturn of Daryl's lip turned into a dopey, lop-sided grin when Sophia whooped and squealed with delight. He loved to hear the sound of her laugh, it was so innocent, so full of life and hope, and love, and it reminded him of everything good in the world.

"I wanna go that high, dad!" Carl Grimes beckoned his father, who was standing right beside Daryl, pushing his own son back and forth, but nearly as high as Sophia had just flown. Carl was only two weeks and four days younger than Sophia, though the girl constantly reminded her little friend that she was older, and therefore, was his boss.

"I don't think that's a good idea buddy," Rick gently told his son. "Your mama isn't gonna like it when she gets here later on if you've got any scrapes or bruises on your knees. Rick and Lori were divorced now, just as Merle predicted. They had been since Carl was two. Nothing monumental or devastating happened to cause the separation, they just both woke up one day and realized they weren't happy together and hadn't been in a long time, probably even before Lori got pregnant with Carl. They co-parented well, and remained amicable, but Lori was over-protective of Carl. Daryl often privately told Carol it was like she thought the kid needed to be in bubble wrap, and she gave Rick a lot of grief anytime the boy came back to her with a bump or a scrape.

"Your no fun," Carl griped at to his father. "What can't you be cool like Sophia's dad?"

Daryl snorted, and Rick eyed his friend warily.

"Come on, man," Daryl egged on. "Be a cool dad like me, just this once."

Rick glared at his friend as Sophia and Carl chanted," be a cool dad, be a cool dad," repeatedly. In the end, he shook his head and laughed, then proceed to swing Carl as high as he could. "Just this once," Rick told Carl as the boy sored through the air. But you better not tell your mom, you hear me?"

()()()

Daryl and Rick ventured away from the swing set after pushing the kids a few more minutes, then walked back over to the grill where they were grilling ribs, hamburgers, hot dogs, baked potatoes, onions, and corn on the cob for Carol's birthday. They were at Daryl and Carol's house, sitting on the back porch of the side of the house that used to belong to just Carol, but Daryl had also been occupying for the last six years.

He never moved back to his side of the house after Carol recovered from her c-section. She never asked him to, and he never made the move to go back to his place, though he did leave his clothes and the rest of his belongings on his side of the house for a good six months, only returning to his old bedroom to change and get ready for work, until one day Carol finally asked him one morning if was tired of walking all the way over there to get dressed and if he wouldn't just rather bring his stuff to her side of the house. That was all the invitation he needed, and they'd officially lived together ever since; and they'd been married for four.

Daryl asked her to marry him out of the blue when Sophia was nine months old. She had been babbling for a couple weeks at that point, learning to talk a bit and ask for things she wanted. Like crying out mama when she wanted Carol to hold her or baba when she wanted a bottle. And one particular evening, when Daryl was dog tired and had just come in from work, Sophia saw him and started screaming, "dada, dada," flailing her little arms and kicking her little feet from her seat in her swing. Carol looked equal parts stunned and worried and said she must be babbling. She then picked her daughter up and tried to appease her, but Sophia wasn't having any of it. She cried louder and fixed her eyes on Daryl as she screamed, "dada," even louder an threw her arms out towards him the same way she did anytime she wanted just him to hold her. He'd walked over to Carol in stunned silence of his own and taken the little girl from her mama, who then contently nuzzled her head against his chest and stopped immediately stopped crying.

He'd had to fight every single urge he had to cry at what an impact Sophia calling him daddy had done to him. He simply clutched her tighter to his chest, gently stoked her back, then looked at Carol, who was staring at him with love and adoration, but also a hint of worry in her eyes at how he may react to the child's declaration. He slowly walked over to her, leaned in and pressed a tender kiss to her lips, then stepped back enough that they were face to face but not touching. The next words out of his mouth shocked him as much as he shocked her, when he blurted out, "Marry me. Let's be a real family."

The moment the words left his mouth, he initially wished nothing more than to take them back, because her jaw dropped, and she stared at him for three whole seconds that felt like an eternity before she responded by grabbing his face and kissing him, careful not to squish Sophia in the process, who was still in his arms.

"You gotta quit adding to that damn swing set," Rick chuckled as he flipped the burgers on the grill.

The comment broke Daryl away from his trip down memory lane and he turned his attention back to his friend. "Or you gotta make Carl's bigger. Gotta be a cool dad like me, remember?" Daryl stared ahead, not even fifty feet from the porch was the swing set the kids were playing on, one Daryl started building when Sophia was about two, and had slowly been adding onto ever since. It started out as the same type of playhouse Rick had built for Carl but morphed into a mini park over the years. It had regular swings, a tire swing, two slides, a merry-go-round, monkey bars, a play house, and a sand box now. He and Rick initially started the project, but he and Merle had turned it into what it was today.

Rick rolled his eyes and took a sip from his beer. "You know? I envy you sometimes, man."

That statement made Daryl physically take a step back. When he first met Rick Grimes, he never imagined he'd hear the deputy sheriff one day tell him he envied him for anything. "What?"

"It's just…you see your kid all the time. Unless she spends the night with her Papa Hershel or something. You know? You don't have to give her away for the half of the week. I feel like I miss out on so much with Carl. And sometimes, I dunno, I just feel like he wonders why I'm not there. Why me and his mom couldn't work things out."

Daryl slowly sips his beer and contemplates his response. He's glad Ed never came back for Sophia. That they've never had to share her with someone else. And he can't imagine how hard that would be. "Your there and he knows it," he offers to his friend. "Maybe not every night, but you can't be. When he gets older, he'll understand. And he'll be glad he didn't grow up in a home where his parents were miserable as shit."

"I guess…"

Slowly, Daryl lowers his bottle of beer and raises a brow at Rick. "What's this about? You thinking of getting back with Lori?" Cautiously, his eyes dart to the door, then back to Rick. "What about Michonne?"

"No!" Rick hastens. "God no! I don't wanna get back with Lori. And things with Michonne, they're great. Better than great. I'm crazy about her, I'm crazy about Andre." Andre is Michonne's three-year old son from a previous relationship, who is currently inside with Carol and Michonne. His father died from a drug over-dose when he was two, and ever since Rick and Michonne started dating, he's tried to be there for the boy and treat him the same was he would Carl.

With a simple nod, Daryl lets his friend know he's glad that was his response. Rick and Michonne were a long time coming, even when Rick was with Lori. Not that the two ever did anything when Rick was still married, not even for more than a year after the divorce, but Daryl always personally thought that Rick and his former partner were a little closer than most friends should be. And Daryl liked Michonne. He liked her a hell of a lot better than he ever liked Lori when she was with Rick, though he had to admit she was much more tolerable now that they were divorced. Maybe because she was actually happy now.

"In fact," Rick fidgets with something in his pocket. Finally, he retrieves a little black box. "I've been thinking of giving her this. He glances over his shoulder and sees Michonne moving towards the door, he quickly shoves the box back inside his pocket.

"Is that?"

Rick nods and grins.

"Shit."

"Shit? That's it? That's all you've got to say?"

Daryl shrugs. "Congratulations…I mean, if she marries your pitiful ass."

"If you got Carol to marry you without giving her a ring, I think I'm set," Rick teases back.

"I got her a ring!" Daryl defends.

"Yeah, _after_ she agreed to marry you!"

"You ain't gotta be mad because I'm more romantic and spontaneous than you!"

"Yeah, okay," Rick snorts.

()()()

Carol walks out on the back porch with a bright eyed, bouncing, eleven-month old girl in her arms. "She wants her daddy, she saw you out the window and has been screaming for you non-stop ever since."

"Come here baby girl." Rick takes his daughter from Carol and kisses the top of her head. Judith is Rick's daughter, the product of one final fling he and Lori had just before he and Michonne started dating. At least, Carol assumes she's Rick's daughter. No one knows for sure. Lori had been dating another cop not long before the little girl was conceived. A deputy named Shane Walsh, a friend of Rick's from high school, as well as a former boyfriend of Andrea's. However, Shane was killed in the line of duty a month before Lori found out she was pregnant, which led to a grief-induced tryst between the former husband and wife. When Lori turned up pregnant, Rick stepped up and stood by her, and she's never head him question the parentage, so neither do she and Daryl. Afterall, they both know all too well DNA doesn't always determine who the father of a child is.

"Come here little ass-kicker," Daryl says, holding his arms out and trying to entire the child to leave her father's arms and come to him. Little ass-kicker is his affectionate nick-name for the girl, who almost died after complications during Lori's delivery. Little ass-kicker glances between Daryl and her dad, as if she's unsure of who to choose, but she finally shakes her head at Daryl and remains in her father's arms. He shoots the little girl a hurt look and pokes his bottom lip out.

Carol chuckles at her husband affectionally. She walks over to him and takes a seat in his lap. He responds by wrapping his arms around her and kissing the top of her head. "I miss Sophia being that little," Carol comments as she watches Rick interact with Judith, bouncing her up and down over his head as she cackles and squeals, showing a toothy grin.

"Wanna make another one for your birthday?" He whispers in her ear, his voice hot and husky, nibbling it lightly while no one is looking in their direction.

Carol turns slightly, cutting off his access, and she stares at him dumbfounded. "Are you being serious right now?"

He shrugs, suddenly sounding unsure and not nearly as sexy as he just did. "Could. If you wanted. I mean…even if you don't, it's a hell of a lot of fun to try, ain't it?"

"So much fun," she agrees, not wanting to hit on such a heavy subject right now. Not while Michonne and Rick were over. Not while Maggie, Glenn would be over soon. Not when her uncle Hershel, Aunt Annette, Shawn, Beth, Merle, Andrea, and Lori would soon be joining them. She and Daryl could discuss the option of whether or not they may finally add to their family later, privately, on a day that wasn't her birthday.

He tightens his grip around her. "Got you something pretty damn good either way."

"Better than s-e-x?" She spells out quietly, not wanting to say the word with Judith near by.

"I heard that," Rick quips.

"It's an A and B conversation, C your way out," Daryl grumbles to his friend.

Rick chuckles and stands with Judith in his arms. "I'm gonna go inside and check on Michonne and Andre. Can you guys keep an eye on the kids and the food.

Carol nods. "We've got it covered." As he walks away, she scans the yard to make sure Carl and Sophia are doing okay. They are. They're in the sand box building sand castles. She smiles at how close they are. She's glad they've grown up together. She's also glad she didn't have to choose between Rick and Lori in the divorce and can remain friends with both, and she's glad Michonne is okay with Lori. Carol's eyes flit back to Daryl and she smiles mischievously. "So," she prods. " _Is_ it better than sex?"

He smirks, shrugs, then hums. "It's a whole different kinda good, not even in the same category, but it's something special." When she opens her mouth to question him, he shakes his head. "You just gotta wait until after your party." His voice dips low and sultry, "And if you're a good girl for me, you'll get a second present when everyone else is gone and I get to help unwrap it."

She smiles and captures his lips with hers.


	60. Chapter 60

**Okay, I lied. One more chapter after this one. And it will be Caryl centric only.**

"Uncle Merle, Uncle Merle!" Sophia squeals, abandoning her position from the sand box and leaping to her feet to run to her second favorite person, aside from her mom and dad, of course. Her first favorite person, other than her parents, is her Papa Hershel.

Merle opens the gate to the fenced in back yard, a fence Daryl installed not long after Sophia started walking, and opens his arms wide for the little girl once he steps inside. He stoops down on one knee and lets her jump into his arms, then stands and swirls her around, eliciting a slew of infectious giggles.

"I missed you!" Sophia tells him as her arms wind tighter around his neck.

"Missed you too, kid," Merle replies, then presses a quick kiss to the crown of the girl's head. The dark brown hair the girl sported at birth was replaced over the years with strawberry blond locks. Her big blue eyes turned Hazel. And her once clear complexion is now littered with freckles, just like her mother's. Somedays, it's hard to recognize this petite, spirted little girl as the chubby bundle his brother and Carol brought home from the hospital six years ago.

Sophia looks over Merle's shoulder, smiles, then gives a small wave. "Hey aunt Andrea."

"Hi sweetheart," Andrea replies with a joyful grin of her own. Sophia is the apple of Merle's eye, and that little girl brings out a side of her boyfriend she never knew existed, and that doesn't exist with anyone else, not even her.

Andrea and Merle are an official couple these days. They have been for about a year now. About two years ago Andrea got tired of just screwing around and wanted something real, and at the time, Merle didn't. So, she'd moved on and dated a guy named Phillip Blake; who actually turned out to be a total quack job but none the less, was the catylst to get Merle's ass in gear and make him realize Andrea meant something to him and that it was time to man up and do something about it.

"Are you gonna let Uncle Merle stay at his place tonight, or are you gonna take him back to your place again?" Sophia askes, her lower lip poking out at the end of her sentence just like Carol's does when she's disappointed.

Andrea chuckles. Partly because the thought of her making Merle do anything is comical and partly because Sophia looks so damn cute right then. "Uncle Merle is coming to my place again," she tells her, but quickly hastens, "but so are you," when Sophia's bottom lip trembles at the initial response.

"I get to spend the night with y'all?" The girl squeals in delight, clapping her hands together rapidly.

"Sure do, kid," Merle confirms with a grin. "And we're gonna eat lots of chocolate and drink lots of soda and stay up late and watch movies you ain't supposed to and then tomorrow your mama and daddy are gonna have to deal with the aftermath."

"Merle Dixon," Carol warns sternly from her place on the deck where she is still perched in Daryl's lap." "You better not send our daughter home crashing from a sugar high again. Do I make myself clear?"

Sophia pokes her bottom lip in another pout Merle's face falls. "Come on now birthday girl, let me be the fun uncle, will you?"

"Nah," Daryl cuts in. "Then you make us look like assholes when we won't let her get away with the same stuff and she'll be cranky tomorrow. No soda and only a little bit of candy. And for God's sake, no more movies that are too scary for her." Last time Sophia spent the night with Merle and Andrea, they'd let her binge drink Dr. Pepper all night and eat two candy bars and an entire pack of gummy worms. They'd topped that off with deciding she was old enough to sit through a Goosebumps Marathon, and it was a kid's show, a tame show, but Sophia wasn't a fan of things that go bump in the night and when she'd gotten back home, she'd refused to sleep in her own bed for three days. Which meant Daryl got kicked and kneed all night for three nights. Kid was a damn acrobat in her sleep.

"Your parents suck, you know that?" Merle grumbled to Sophia, which earned him a pop on the hand by the child. "Ow, what was that for?"

"That's a bad word, uncle Merle," she scolded. "And don't talk about my mama and daddy. I love my mama and daddy.

Andrea snickered, and Carol giggled.

"But your daddy just said asshole!" Merle cried. "I don't see you getting onto him!"

Sophia shrugged her little shoulders and sighed dramatically. "I expect more from you, uncle Merle." It's a phrase Carol used to reprimand Sophia when she'd started getting in trouble at school more than Carol would have liked when she started first grade. She'd told her that daughter she wasn't in kindergarten anymore and talking out of turn and skipping ahead in line wasn't okay, and it wasn't okay to repeatedly keep doing it after being told to stop. Then Carol said, 'Sophia, you're a big girl now and I expect more from you.' The child picked up on the phrase and now anytime someone did something she didn't deem acceptable, she would use it to let them know how she felt their behavior.

Merle glowered, and the other three adults chuckled loudly.

()()()

Eventually, the Dixon house was full packed full of people, packed so full in in fact, that not everyone could be in the same place at once. Half the guests lingered outside and the other half inside for the duration of the party.

Daryl and Carol were currently outside near Sophia's playground with Lori, Maggie, and Glenn, watching Sophia, Carol, Andre, and Judith play. Merle, Andrea, Rick, and Michonne were inside playing cards and Hershel Anette, Shawn, Beth, and her boyfriend, Noah, were on the deck talking.

Carol thought it was hard for Lori to be in a room with Rick and Michonne, even if the three got along. After she lost her boyfriend, Shane, Carol hadn't seen her friend date ever since. And she thought sometimes the brunette got lonely. Seeing her ex-husband so happy with another woman, a woman who loved and adored Lori's children, a woman who baby Judith sometimes referred to as mama, well, it couldn't have been easy, even if she liked Michonne. It had to remind her of what she and Rick could have had, the family they could have been, the full family unit Lori didn't have, and Carol hoped on day her friend was able to find someone to be happy with.

"She's so good with Judith," Lori commented, as Sophia gently pushes the baby girl back and forth in the yellow swing made for toddlers. Daryl had just hung that swing back up a few months ago so Judith would have something to play on when Rick or Lori visited with her. To the left of Sophia, Carl was in the sandbox beside Andre, though he was largely ignoring the boy who was three years younger than him.

"She loves her Judith," Carol smiled, watching her daughter interact with her little friend. When Judith was smaller, Sophia constantly asked to hold her or help feed her whenever she was around her. Now that Judith is walking and talking some, she constantly chases Sophia down, screaming, 'Soso, Soso,' until the older girl relents and plays with her, which doesn't take too much convincing.

"Do you two ever think about having another one?" Glenn asks, looking to Carol and Daryl.

Daryl catches Carol's eye, but doesn't answer, and neither does Carol, she wasn't even sure how serious he was about the comment he'd made earlier, they needed to talk about it in private, before answering her cousin – in – law on the matter.

To cut the thick silence left by Glenn's question, Daryl replies. "What about you, short round? When are you and Maggie finally gonna have one?"

Glenn pales and his mouth gapes.

()()()

Later, the party thins out. Bellies are full, from all the food Rick and Daryl cooked, the _Happy Birthday_ song is sung, candles are blown out, presents opened, goodbye hugs given, and most people start to return to their own homes.

Beth and Noah leave first, followed by Hershel and Annette. Next Maggie and Glenn are gone, then Shawn leaves. Soon enough, Lori decides to head out to. She hugs Carol, once again telling her friend "happy birthday", then moves to hug her children. Carl and Judith have one more night with Michonne and Rick before they return to her home. Their schedule is split evenly. They alternate weekends, and then Rick also gets the kids every Wednesday and Thursday.

She hugs Carl first, who tells his mom bye and that he loves her before running off to play with Sophia again. After she hugs Judith and plants a kiss on her head, Michonne reaches to take her from Lori, and Judith welcomes the darker woman's embrace, laying her head contentedly on her chest and emitting a big yawn, then popping her thumb in her mouth and muttering mama.

Michonne's face falls as she sees the hurt look on Lori's face. "I'm so sorry," she apologizes to her boyfriend's ex-wife. "Call me mi-mi, Judith," she tells the child. "Mi-mi, like we talked about. Not mama." She points to Lori. "That's your mama. I'm your mi-mi."

Judith looks at Michonne and then to her mother, her brown eyes full of confusion. She points to Lori and says, "Mama," but then pats Michonne's chest and repeats, "mama," again.

"It's okay," Lori assures Michonne, though she's biting back a sob. "I know she's just learning to talk, and she doesn't understand. And I'm glad she has you. I'm glad you're so good to her and Carl both." She turns to Carol and thanks her for having her over then bolts out of the door and towards her car.

"I didn't know she was gonna say that," Michonne says when the door is closed, and Lori is gone. "I don't teach her to call me that. I promise, I don't. I know how much it would have hurt me if Andre ever called another woman mama."

Carol reaches out and places a hand over Michonne's arm. "I know you didn't. Lori does, too. It's okay."

()()()

Carol excuses herself and follows after Lori, hoping to have a word with the other woman before she leaves. She finds her friend leaned against her car with her head in her hands. "Are you okay?" Carol asks gently, already knowing the answer to that question.

Lori peers up and shakes her head, biting down on her bottom lip to stop the emotion threatening to spill from her. Carol steps closer and pulls her into an embrace and she lets go completely, sobbing into her friend' shoulder. Carol holds her for several minutes before Lori is composed enough to step back and re-gather herself. "Rick's gonna ask Michonne to marry him," she says when her voice is steady.

"Are you sure?" Carol asks with a raised brow. She's unsure how Lori could even know that information.

The brunette nods. "He told me. He said he wanted to talk to me about first. Because of the kids. He said he loves and her son and she's good to him, to all of them. And he's right," she admits with a heavy sigh. "She loves Carl and Judith, she treats them like her own."

Carol isn't sure what to say, or what Lori needs to hear, so she stays silent and lets her friend continue to vent.

"I should be happy for him, shouldn't I? I mean, I didn't want him, I wasn't happy with him, so he deserves to be happy with someone else. He deserves to have a real family."

"Do you still love him?" Carol asks carefully, worried of where this conversation may be going.

"I love Rick, I'll always love Rick. He's the father of my son…he stepped up to be the father of my daughter." That statement is the closest thing Lori has ever said to implying that Judith may be Shane's and not Rick's. She shakes her head. "But no, I'm not in love with him. I don't love him like you love Daryl…I just…I think a part of me wishes we could have what you and Daryl and Sophia have. I wish we could be a family for Carl and Judith. I wish my kids had both of their parents in their life every single day."

"You are a family for Carl and Judith," Carol gently tries to reason. You and Rick are still their family, it's just that now their family is getting bigger, and Michonne and Andre will be a part of it, too. It doesn't mean you're any less of their mother because of it. Even when you aren't there physically, you're always there and those kids know that."

"Do they?" Lori asks with an ironic laugh. "Because it seems to me like they know Michonne's there when I'm not. It's why Judith called her mama tonight. She is a mother to them when I'm not there. She is." She shakes her head again. "Can you imagine having to share Sophia with Daryl? Having to split your time with him, and then watching another woman walk in and fill your role during the time you aren't with her?"

"No," Carol replies quietly. Because she can't. She can't imagine a world where she isn't married to Daryl. A world where they aren't together and he's with someone else. And even if she could, she doesn't know if a court would grant him the same rights Rick was allowed to Carl and Judith because technically, in the eyes of the law, he is only her step-father, not her father. It's a fact Carol doesn't consider often, because he's been her daughter's father practically since the day she was born, but legally he isn't. If she died tomorrow, he would have no legal claim to Sophia. And suddenly she starts to consider the fact that they need some sort of guardianship papers drawn up in the event of a tragedy. Daryl wants to adopt Sophia. He's tried to for over a year, ever since they legally changed the girl's name before she started pre-school, but the Judge in their county won't allow it since there is no father listed on the birth certificate available to relinquish his rights. Which is bullshit in Carol's eyes because Sophia's birth father has never done a damn thing for her.

"I don't know what you're going through Lori, I don't," Carol continues. "Sophia's biological father never wanted her, and Daryl's been an amazing dad to her all these years, but we've never had to share her with anyone, and selfishly, I'm glad for that. I don't want her around Ed. He isn't a good person and I don't think he would have been a good father. But you're a good mother, and so is Michonne. And I can't imagine how hard it must be for you. But maybe, maybe your kids are gonna have two mamas now and maybe that's a good thing? It just means they get twice the love than most kids do." Carol thinks of Daryl and Merle's troubled childhood. "Some kids don't even get one mom that cares half as much as either of you do."

Lori smiles, a little sadly, but also a little thankfully. "I suppose you're right about that. I guess I'm just a little lonely myself…and maybe a little jealous of what Rick and Michonne have…I thought with Shane," she chokes up and shakes her head. "I really liked him. And I miss him."

"I know, I know you do," Carol soothes. "But it's been almost two years now. Maybe it's time to try and move on? Try and meet someone else?"

"Who?" Lori replies with a snort.

Carol's about to reply when headlights fill her driveway. She arches a brow, until she recognizes the car. It's Shawn's. She wonders what he came back for.

"Oh, hey," Shawn says to the women as he steps out of his car. "I think I forgot my jacket when I left." He smiles at Lori. "Didn't realize you were still here. I thought you were heading out right after I did."

"I was…I am," she corrects. "Just having a little girl talk."

He nods and shoves his hands in the pockets of his jeans. "What are you doing after?"

She carefully catches Carol's eyes, who is standing beside her smirking. "I didn't really have plans," she admits. "Rick has the kids until 6 tomorrow evening…so I suppose I was just gonna head home."

He eases a hand out of one of his pockets and rubs the back of his head. "I was thinking about going to get a drink….maybe…if you're up for it…I dunno…maybe you'd like to come?"

Again, Lori catches Carol's eyes, who gives her a look that says, 'just say yes,' so she reluctantly caves. "Yeah…Uh…maybe I will."

Shawn smiles triumphantly and relaxes. "Cool. Alright then. Well, I'm just gonna grab my jacket and then we can head out?"

"Sure," Lori replies. She's silent as he treks up the stairs, but as soon as he's inside, she turns to Carol and cries, "Oh my God! What did I do? Did I just agree to go out with your little cousin?"

Carol chuckles. "He is my cousin and he is younger than me, but Shawn isn't so little anymore. He's only five years younger than you, Lori. He's a grown man and he's about to be 26."

"Yeah, and I'm about to be 32 and I have two kids!"

"And he's well aware of that fact," Carol chuckles again. "Relax, it's just a drink. Go. Have fun. Take your mind off things."

"Yeah?"

"Yes! Go, or you're in trouble!"

Lori grins and shakes her head. "Yes ma'am. But if I'm hungover tomorrow afternoon you're coming by and entertaining the kids while I shake it off."

()()()

Soon enough, Rick, Michonne, and their trio have headed out too and only Merle and Andrea are left, and soon enough they'll be leaving with Sophia in tow.

Merle, holding Sophia in his strong arms, reaches into his back pocket as he stands across from Daryl and Carol on the back deck. He pulls out an envelope and extends his hand to Carol. "Almost forgot, darling, this is your present from me.

Carol arches a brow and peers over at Daryl, who looks as confused as she is. "But you gave me that gift basket with the candles, body washes, and bath bombs. I don't need two presents, Merle."

"Actually," Andrea informs, "those were from me. This one," she smiles knowingly, "it's just from Merle. And it's sort of for the two of you."

Carol's confusion only deepens.

"Open it, will you!" Merle barks.

"No yelling!" Sophia scolds.

"Sorry," Merle grumbles to the child.

Slowly, Carol peels the envelope back and pulls out a document, her eyes scan it carefully and she quickly hands it to Daryl. "We can't accept this."

"I ain't asking. I'm giving it to you. Just need his signature on the bottom."

"Merle," Daryl buts in firmly after he's read the paper. "Can't let you do that. This place, it's ours. I can't take all of it. What the hell do I need with two houses anyway?" Merle's gift to Carol is a document signing sole ownership of their duplex home over to Daryl and Carol.

"It ain't two houses baby boy, it's one. Just has some walls up splitting it into two. But those can be broken down. A little remodeling here and there, it could be one place again."

Carol and Daryl share a look. Daryl is the one to respond. "We bought this place together, man. I ain't asking you to leave."

Sophia's little eyes widen in surprise and she shakes her head and whines. "Don't go uncle Merle. I don't want you to move away. I want you to keep living right beside me."

"I ain't going far, Soph," he chuckles lightly. He throws his head back. "Gonna be right next door."

"You're buying the Taylor house?" Daryl asks in surprise.

Merle looks to Andrea and nods. "We are. We're buying the Taylor house."

"Look, if the two of you are moving into together, you can both just move into Merle's side of the house. It's fine," Carol reasons. "You don't need much room for the two of you…do you?" She questions, though her voice is suggestive there may be a reason the couple need more room.

Andrea laughs and shakes her head "Trust me, we don't need more room for any reason, we really don't. We just want a place to make our own together. A home to build together, like the three of you have done here." She makes eye contact with Carol. "Your place, it's small honey. The living room barely fits that one couch. Sophia's getting bigger, and who knows, maybe one day your entire family will as well. You guys might need more than two rooms."

Daryl blushes and his eyes flit to his boots. He knows Andrea has a point, if he and Carol have more children, they would need more room. But even so, he doesn't like the idea of his brother giving his portion of the house away as a gift. "At least let us pay you for it," he offers. "We can buy your half out."

"Nah, not negotiable little brother. I had the stuff drawn up and this is how it's gonna be. So, take the damn gift, say thank you, and be done with it."

Carol and Daryl catch each other's eyes again. Both know once Merle Dixon has made his mind up about something, it's useless to try and talk him out of it. "You sure this how you want it?" Daryl asks one final time.

"Damn sure," Merle confirms. "It's how it's gonna be. Now, you two better make good use of this quality alone time we're leaving y'all with tonight a nd work on getting me another niece or nephew to make it worth it, you hear?"


	61. Chapter 61

After a forced discussion about where babies come from thanks to Merle and his big uncensored mouth, Daryl's pretty sure Sophia's half expecting the fictional 'Dr. Stork' to have delivered her a baby brother or sister to their front porch by the time she gets home from her spend the night party with Merle and Andrea. He's thankful Carol can think on her toes so easily and has a creative mind, because he was a blank slate after she began asking if they were gonna give her a brother or sister and where said brother or sister would be coming from. Thankfully, at least she didn't seem distraught about the idea of possibly being dethroned from only child status, simply curious.

Now that they've tackled that unexpected hurdle, Merle, Andrea, and Sophia are getting ready to leave for the evening.

"Goodbye mama," Sophia says as she kisses Carol on the cheek. "Have fun with daddy and don't stay up too late."

Carol snorts. Her daughter is so sassy and grown sometimes. "We won't, I promise." She hugs Sophia. "And you don't stay up to late either." Carol's eyes narrow on her brother – in – law and his girlfriend. "Even if they say you can, go to sleep for mama, okay?"

Sophia nods her head. "I'll make them mind, I promise."

Daryl reaches out and takes Carol from Sophia. He kisses the top of her head and hugs her tight. "Got your bag, sweetheart?" She nods in response and pops her thumb in her mouth as her head falls in the crook of his shoulder. She's obviously already sleepy from her long day of playing with Carl, Andre, and Judith, and likely won't be up another hour anyway. "And your dolly, you got your dolly?"

"I got her," Sophia replies with a yawn.

"Good, you know how she can't sleep without you," Daryl teases, even though he knows damn well it's the other way around and Sophia can't sleep without that doll.

"Yep. She needs me to take care of her so she stays happy," Sophia mutter sleepily.

"Sophia, honey," Andrea says, reaching her arms out to take the child from her daddy, "we need to get going. Do you still wanna come with us, or are you too sleepy and wanna stay home with your mama and daddy?"

The little girl sucks her thumb and quietly contemplates her answer as her eyes dart between her mom and uncle Merle, who happens to be poking his bottom lip out dramatically at the thought of Sophia not going with him. "I'll go with you and uncle Merle," she settles on. She then kisses Daryl's scruffy cheek and hugs his neck. "Goodnight, daddy. I love you." She turns and looks at Carol "Night mama, love you too."

Carol brushes Sophia's hair out of her face and kisses her on the cheek one last time and tells her she loves her too. Merle then grabs Sophia's bag from her bedroom and Andrea takes the child from Daryl's arms and carries her to the car.

()()()

After everyone is gone, Carol wraps her arms around Daryl from behind and an exhausted sigh escapes her lips. "I enjoyed my party."

He turns so they're facing one another and bends to kiss her forehead. "Glad you had a good birthday."

"It was the best," she assures him with a smile. She shakes her head and chuckles lightly. "You know? When we first met, I never would have imagined I would let my daughter go spend the night with Merle."

Daryl hums. "Hell, when we first met bet you never thought you'd up married to me and letting me be your kid's daddy either, did you?"

She shakes her head slowly. "No, I didn't." Then, she grins. "But I may have thought about throwing you up against a wall a few times."

"Stop."

"Oh, I'm not kidding. You have no idea how gorgeous you are, do you?" Daryl doesn't look away, he doesn't say stop, and he doesn't blush. He's grown so much in confidence since they met, and he isn't the shy man he used to be, not with her anyway.

"Yeah?" He asks huskily as his eyebrows raise suggestively. "Well, we're all alone. Wanna throw me up against a wall now?"

She pulls him in for a kiss and grins against his lips. "I would, but I'm the birthday girl and I'm the one who gets the presents tonight, remember?"

He kisses her back as he pushes her towards the couch. "Yes ma'am. I'll go down first."

()()()

In the aftermath of their playful love-making session, which included a lot of foreplay on both ends, the two have jumped in the shower together to unwind from their hectic but fun day. As the hot water cascades down Carol's back, she wraps her arms around Daryl's frame from behind and beings to kiss every scar littered across his back. His flesh instinctively tenses but eventually relaxes as her lips work their way over every jagged lash.

It's so strange to think of him being this comfortable with her now, being this comfortable naked, being this comfortable in his own body and with his own insecurities. Afterall, it certainly wasn't easy for him getting to this point.

He'd kept his shirt on for every sexual experience they'd had together until the first night they had together after Sophia was born. It was about nine weeks post c-section and it was the first sexual contact they'd had since the morning before she was born. Annette offered to watch Sophia for an hour or two, so they could go on a date and enjoy some time alone. That date consisted of a quick picnic at the quarry, followed by them practically ravishing each other the moment they stepped foot back inside the house. His lips found hers, hungry and desperate, and the next thing she knew, clothes were being ripped off and Daryl picked her up, plopped her on the kitchen counter, and they'd fucked; plain and simple, they'd fucked. Right there on the counter.

It didn't last long at all, but it intense, and it was the first time they'd ever been that rough with each other. It was the first time Daryl had demonstrated such dominance in the bedroom, and it was the first time Carol had ever run her finger-nails up and down his back. During the heat of the moment, Daryl hadn't been bothered by the act, nor had Carol noticed the jagged scars her fingers had traced over, they'd been too lost in the experience.

But after they were both spent, Daryl's sweaty forehead pressed into the crook of her neck, Carol's finger tips still lazily tracing up and down his back and she'd done something she instantly regretted. She'd paused her hand when it traced one of those raised, angry marks. And Daryl freaked out. He jumped back, pulling himself out of and away from her so fast she almost fell off the counter. He was frantically searching for a shirt to cover himself with when she placed her gentle hand on his shoulder and said his name in such a soothing voice that he stopped and turned to stare at her.

She'd waved a hand up and down her naked body, pointing out every stretch mark she had, pointed out her horrendous c-section scar, and pointed to her then flabby stomach, and reminded him she had things she didn't like about herself but that he loved and that she didn't care about his marks.

He'd argued hers came from something good and his were reminders of things he didn't wanna think about. Things he didn't wanna talk about. And she'd told him she understood, but that she loved all of him and, to her, they were a reminder of how strong he was. Then, she'd tentatively stepped forward and pressed a gentle kiss to his ugliest lash.

It didn't instantly make him comfortable with himself, but over time he let her touch his back more and more, he let himself be fully naked with her more and more, emotionally and physically. And now, well now, she wasn't sure there was anything about him she didn't know, and visa versa.

"Thank you for everything you did for me today," she tells him softly.

"Ain't nothing," he dismisses.

She smiles and shakes her head. "It is. It is something. You're such a good husband to me. Such a good father to Sophia."

He swivels and until they're face to face and he presses his forehead against hers. "And you're a good wife to me. A good mama to our girl."

"I guess I just feel extra thankful for you today is all." She pauses. "Rick's gonna ask Michonne to marry him."

"I know."

"You do?"

"Mhm. He told me today."

Carol seems a bit surprised by this bit of info. She hopes Rick asks Michonne soon because at this rate someone else will tell her before he gets to ask. "I'm happy for them. I am. I like Michonne a lot. But I feel bad for Lori."

"Lori wasn't good to him, Carol," Daryl replies honestly. "He ain't never did a damn thing that pleased her when they were together."

"I know. But she's my friend."

"Know she is. And she's a good friend to you. Don't mean she was good wife, though."

"I know that, too," she admits. "I suppose I just want everyone I love to be happy."

"It's because you're a good person. Best damn person I know."

She leans up and kisses him. "And you're the best one I know." She cups his face and stares deeply into his eyes, maybe the shower isn't the best place to start this conversation, but she feels like they may avoid it if one of them doesn't speak up now. "Did you mean what you said earlier? About us having more kids?"

He worries his bottom lips and looks at the shower floor. "Kinda…"

"Kinda? There is no kinda. We can't just _kinda_ have a baby."

He sighs heavily. "I like being a daddy. Love raising Sophia with you. I do want more kids…it's just…you being pregnant again, it scares the shit out of me. Think about how things went when Sophia was born. I could've lost you…both of you. Don't wanna lose a baby and I damn sure don't wanna lose you."

She smiles weakly. "I've thought about that, too. It's why I haven't brought up more children before. I think that scared me far more than I was willing to admit at the time…and I'm older now, there's more risks."

He snorts. "Like hell you're old, only 36."

"And I'd be 37 by the time our baby was born, and that's _if_ we got pregnant right away."

Again, his top teeth rake over his bottom lip. "Yeah…too bad that damn Dr. Stork you made up earlier ain't real and we can't just order one up and have it delivered to our front door from the cabbage patch."

She laughs and pats his chest, then grows quiet a moment. "We could adopt," she suggests quietly, as though it may be an idea he finds ludacris.

"Adopt?"

She nods. "Find a little boy or girl who doesn't have anyone, who needs someone to love them, like you and Merle did, and we could give them a home." Daryl's quiet, too quiet, for so long that Carol starts to worry about the suggestion she made. "But we don't _have_ to do that," she hastens. "I understand if you want out next child to be yours...we can…"

"Carol," he cuts her off. "Sophia's _my_ child. Don't give a shit about DNA. Not with her, not with our next one. Don't need blood for me to love it. Okay?" She nods and is about to apologize for insinuating that, but he cuts her off again. "It's okay. Know why you said it. Was being too quiet. But it wasn't about that, I was just thinking that it was a good idea. I think we should look into it. Find us a kid who really needs us and give him a better life."

"Yeah?" She asks with a smile.

"Yeah," he replies with a grin of his own. "Hell, maybe more than one if there's siblings or something. When we turn this place into one house again, we'll have plenty of room. Can have at least four bedrooms, maybe even five."

"You want us to have four kids?" She stammers, the mere suggestion makes her feel overwhelmed.

He purses his lips and deeply considers his statement. "Should probably just start with one more and see how that goes."

()()()

Once the two are dry and settled on the couch to unwind, Daryl excuses himself for a brief moment. When he returns, he has his own envelope in his hand that he extends to Carol.

"Gotta open your last present," he instructs her, his eyes eager as he gives it to her.

She'd forgotten about the present Daryl said he had for her. The one he said was gonna be pretty, damn special. The one she was supposed to get before they made love.

The party was more than enough, and she doesn't feel right taking something else from him. Though she is curious what could be in the envelope. Besides, she knows he isn't gonna return whatever it is even if she tells him she doesn't need anything else. If Daryl wants her to have something, he is gonna make damn sure he gives it to her. "Did you get me a certificate for a massage at that parlor that got busted a few months ago?" She quips with a smirk on her face as she takes the envelope.

"Stop," he mumbles.

She laughs to herself as she slowly opens the envelope. She can feel Daryl's heavy gaze on her as she retrieves the first folded white piece of notebook paper. There are three in total, with writing on front and back. As she begins to read the scrawled boyishly written message those papers contain, she gasps and bites back tears. It's a story about Daryl's life. Stretching from his troubled childhood all the way to the day he met her. He talks about that day. About her. About Sophia. And about how he's become the man he is today because of them. He's even given the story a title, _The Girls Next Door._

By the time she's finished reading it, tears are free falling down her cheeks and she turns and throws her arms around his neck. "Why did you write this?" She questions, shocked but completely touched by the words she's just read.

"Because I took it to the judge," he replies softly. "The one that's been over all those adoption hearings we been to over the past few years. The asshole who kept denying us."

She pulls back and drops her arms, they are no longer touching but their faces are merely inches apart. "What? Why?"

He shrugs. "Wanted him to know me. Know Sophia. Know us. Know why it's so damn important for her to legally be mine."

She blinks several times, trying to process this. It's so hard for her to believe he shared his life story with a complete stranger. Details she knows that only she knew up until he handed that man that paper. "Wh…what did he say?"

Daryl grins. Probably the biggest, dopiest grin she's ever seen him have. "He said congratulations, dad."

 **And that's a wrap. I'm sorry if it wasn't the ending you all wanted, but it is the ending I had to do. Thank you so much to everyone who read this story, and for those of you who've read any other story of mine throughout the years. I'm fairly certain this was my last one ever. But the support I received throughout the years when posting has meant so much to me. Every review truly brightened my day. Take care and much love to you all.**


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